


An Unexpected Visit

by EmberTiger98



Category: Dumbo (2019)
Genre: Angst, Childhood Memories, Comedy, Drama, Explicit Language, F/M, Family, Family Secrets, Father-Son Relationship, Fights, Grandparents & Grandchildren, Humor, Language, Love, Parenthood, Romance, Secret Relationship, Secrets, family fight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:40:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23131828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmberTiger98/pseuds/EmberTiger98
Summary: When Jeremiah Farrier gaves a vistit to his son Holt,  he'll try to reconnect with him and get to know his grandchildren but he will also discover, probably, Dreamland's most twisted secret.
Relationships: Holt Farrier/Colette Marchant, Milly Farrier/V. A. Vandevere
Comments: 6
Kudos: 5





	1. The Visit

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RT Fice (RT_Fice)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RT_Fice/gifts).



> A Villy fic for the Villy or Dumbo 2019 fans! (For the ones who don't know: here Milly has 18, she's aged up).

It was another beautiful day in Dreamland since Dumbo’s first but not perfect debut. But that didn't stopped the Medici Family Circus from trying. Even though that debut was a disaster, VA Vandevere managed to convince J.G. Remington to give him and his show a second chance.

  
The park depended on the banker’s favor, they have to continue with a new show and make Dumbo a star, despite VA’s original idea of the spectacle: let alone the Medici Circus and join the show as well. That was his little scientist’s idea.

  
Milly was on charge of the new act now, thanks to her wit and intelect. God he couldn’t say no to her, after all the impresario would do anything for the 18 year old girl. _Anything_.

  
——————————–-----------------

  
While everyone was prepearing themselves for the new act inside the training tent, Skellig was outside guarding the entrance, keeping an eye all the time. Until he saw an old man approaching to the tent, by his appearance Skellig could see it was a man on his 60’s or 70’s like much, dressed as a cowboy from head to toe with a brown hat, a red blood shirt, blue jeans, brown boots, a beige poncho, a big white moustache on his upper lip, bushy eyebrows and a suitcase on his right hand.

  
When he saw that he was heading to the entrance, Skellig abruptaly intercepted the elder with no expression on his face.

  
“Who are you? What do you want?” Skellig asked dryly, the old man stopped frowning at him, “Only employees can enter here” Skellig finished.

  
“Excuse me?” the elder questioned “I'm sorry but, who the hell are you?" he asked not showing fear towards the bodyguard.

  
"Who the hell are _you_?” Skellig interjected, not minding the anciant cowboy’s anger.

  
“Ok, let’s be complete strangers if you want” the man joked twiching his moustache. Skellig sighed and rolled his eyes subtly, he continued.

  
“What do you want, old man? If you don’t work in this park you have nothing to do here, unless you came here to see a show or take a ride on the rollercoaster”.

  
“No, I didn’t came here for that” the elder replied. “I came here to see my son”.

  
Skellig gave the man a puzzled look, “Your son? Who is it?”.

  
“Holt, Holt Farrier. You probably know him: The Stallion Star. I’m his father, Jeremiah Farrier is my name”.

  
Skellig is somoene vere difficult to impress with unexpected things, even with Dumbo and his talent, he wasn’t amazed at all with it. He only saw an ordinary animal with enough potential to be the next one on his wall as a price, like, any other animal. Still he has to admit that the Farriers are full of surprises, and this one is not an exception.

  
Not forgetting his instincts, Skellig decided to be sure, “And can you prove that you’re the cowboy’s father?”.

  
Jeremiah’s eyes widened, “Oh, I can _assure_ you that I am his dad, if you let me in you’ll see he’ll recognise me. I have to admit, it’s been a hell amount of years since I saw him for the last time and I don't know if he missed me, but _I_ missed him badly, he’ll be pleased to see me I’m sure. Now, will you let this old man to see his son yes or no!?” he barked.

  
The head of security sighed again but he didn’t dare to scream back at him, specially now that there are people around looking, so he reluctantly stepped aside and opened the entance door.

  
“I’ll tell Mr Farrier…son, that you arrived, follow me.” Skellig indicated.

  
“Oh, no, no!” Jeremiah exclaimed, “I want to give him a surprise, I want to see his face when he sees me after all this time. Let me in and tell me where do I have to go”.

  
“This is a tent, I think you won’t get lost at all, besides you’ll hear people’s voices so there is where you have to go. Although, I’m afraid your son is very bussy at the moment, you'll probably delay him , he and the rest of the groupe have an important act to show in a couple of days”. Skellig replied indifferent.

  
Jeremiah hold his suitcase with both hands, looked down and sighed, “Ah yes, my son, _always_ bussy, never has time for his dad. But I’m a patient man, I can wait for him to finish, after all I waited news from him for _years_. Now, excuse me.” Jeremiah went inside but not without saying something more to Skellig. “Thank you”.

  
Skellig waited for him to finally get in to the tent, but the cowboy stood there looking at him and spoke again. “Well? What do we say after this?” he waited.

  
“Your… welcome..?” Skellig responded confused.

  
“Much better.” Jeremiah said proudly “It wasn’t that hard, right?” and with that he get inside of the carp.

  
Skellig closed the door and huffed to himself. _Yeah, he’s totally Holt’s dad, what a pain in the ass._

_\------------------------------------_

“Great Dumbo, you’re doing it great!”

Milly exclaimed excited. The rehersal was going as she had planned, Dumbo looked with more confidence today and Colette on his back smiling, holding tight.

“Ok, ok sugarplum I think is time to take a break, don’t you think?” Holt said waving his hand to her. “We’ve been trainin’ for almost two hours in a row”.

“Alright, dad.” She sighed. She put a lot of effort this day so much that she didn’t saw the hours went by. Milly wanted to continue, but even she felt like she hasn’t slept for a decade. _So this is how it feels running your first show?_ the young woman asked herself.

Seeing his daughter’s agreeing expression Holt looked up and put his thumb and index fingers together on his mouth and whistled. “Alright Dumbo! Time to get down, pal!” he commanded to the baby elephant.

Dumbo hearing his caretaker’s signal started to fly lower and lower. Colette, seeing that they were very close to the ground, swift left and jumped off Dumbo and landed on net with no difficulty. Holt didn’t like her to do that, he told her that many times, what if she gets hurt because of that?.

“Hey, careful princess! Do you want get yourself killed? I know you’re daring, but Jesus!” he scowled.

Colette reincorporated herself on the net and looked at the cowboy, “Oh, _cherie_ you’re worried about me?” she mocked him. “Perhaps it is _you_ who has to worry about yourself” she pointed out at him with her finger.

“Why?” Holt asked.

“You are not paying attention _idiot_ , look out!” she pointed out to the rider’s left.

Holt suddenly looked at his left just to find Dumbo landing towards him at full speed. But it was too late, the cowboy couldn’t dodge the pachyderm on time and Dumbo crashed into him. Both of them rose against the ground ending with the elephant on top of Holt. The rest of the troupe didn’t know if they should either laugh or worry about their cowboy friend, so most of them covered their mouths.

“Ouch! Oh, that was **_why_** _*cough, cough!*_ , Holt coughed with his back against the floor. Dumbo quikly get off of his friend and handed him his trunk to help him out, guilt showing in his huge blue eyes.

Holt sighed, and with all the strength he had he took the elephant’s trunk accepting his help, “Thank you, boy. Oh my God” he said rising himself of the ground. Wanting Holt to forgive him, Dumbo snuggled into his leg looking up on him. The rider looked down on the flying baby and gave him a comforting smile, petting him on the head.

“Ok, ok I forgive you pal, I forgive you. Just please, be more careful.”

Dumbo made a happy noise and headed towards his mother on the other side of the tent. Everyone went over Holt to watch if he was alright, “Dad, are you ok?” Joe asked worried. 

“I’m fine Joe really, remember I survived much worse in the Argonne” Holt replied proudly to his son.

“In the Argonne they tought you how to dodge bullets and granades, but flying baby elephants,? That’s too much for you apparently.” Max joked winking an eye at him.

With that, everybody broke into laughter for a couple of seconds. Holt huffed but soon after started to laugh too. The sound of everything that has happened reached immediately Jeremiah’s ears as soon as he enter into the tent, he popped his head inside the training area, left his suitcase on the floor and his eyes looking around until they were fixed on Holt.

 _Oh my God_ , the old Farrier thought, _it is really you, lad._ He could feel tears trying to come out but he restrained himself and puffed his chest. Suddenly his sight was on Milly and Joe, “Those are my… holy cow, they look exactly like Annie described me... but a little older” he said to himself, smiling. It didn’t surprised Jeremiah at all that Holt never spoke of him since he joined the circus, he had always wanted indipendence from his father and show he can be good at parenting without Jeremiah’s advices.   
The only people who gave him news was his daughter-in-law, Annie and Max. They thought absurd that Holt refused to write to his father when he had to, so Annie convinced her husband to do it herself with the promise she won’t reveal if there are problems because that is when Jeremiah starts to judge his son’s decisions, and Holt didn’t like that. Annie wrote him about their family while Max writes him about the circus in general.

When everybody stopped laughing Colette rested her hand on Holt’s right shoulder and smiled at him, “You know, even the Stallion Star can fall, don’t you be embarassed, _mon amie”_ she teased.

Holt decided not to tease back but share a tiny laugh, “I ain’t Stallion Star no more, Colette. You know that very well”.

Having heard everything, Jeremiah took a step forward and finally spoke out loud. “Stallion Star no more, huh? You say that because of the arm or just now decided to retire?” he teased, unable to contain himself.

The entire troupe turned around to see where did that voice came from, ‘till they saw Jeremiah standing on the edge of the interior door, arms crossed and a face full of glee. No one of the circus had their mouth shut when they realized who he was, except Joe and Milly, but no one was more shocked than Holt.

“Don’t worry, lad. I ain’t no ghost. Here I am, in flesh and blood.” Jeremiah spoke directly to the surprised rider.

“Dad...? _O-o-oh my Gosh,_ you-you’re really here…?” Holt couldn’t process what was happening at the moment. His father, the one who hadn’t spoke or written for God knows how long, was standing there, in front of him.

No longer able to contain the excitement, Jeremiah took off his hat, throwing it on the ground. He rushed to his son and gave him a big hug. He had a huge grin on his face, showing his teeth, giggling and patting his hands on his boy’s back.

Holt was still taken aback by the situation, but slowly he returned the hug with his only arm and the same force as his father. He clutched his hand on his dad’s back and rested his nose on the old man’s right shoulder, showing without knowing that he missed his poppa more than he ever imagined.

“My boy! Oh, my dear boy, is so great to see you again, look at you!” Jeremiah moved away a bit just to see Holt’s face while he cupped it with his two hands “You grew older, lad. Yeah I can see the wrinkles and you also cutted your hair!. Nonetheless, you still look handsome, it must be the genes, hahaha!” he patted his son’s cheek. “What’s wrong, lad? Cat caught your tongue? You’re not talkin’ ”

“I-I-I...” Holt breathed so he could get the right words, “...I can’t believe you’re _here_ , Dad. Honestly, I don’t know what to say jejeje...” Holt laughed akwardly, he really missed his father despite the lack of comunication by letter they could’ve had. Is not that Holt _never_ wrote his father if he wanted to, but he cannot say he wrote him more than 4 letters, _only 4!_ For _20_ years approximately.

“But, what are you doing here? How did you know I was- we where here?” Holt questioned, still a little confused.

“What? An old man can’t visit his own son after a long, _long_ time?” the elder cowboy grabbed the younger one’s shouders firmly. “Visit you and _all_ of you here really needs an explination? C’mon! Don’t say you didn’t missed me”.

“No, no of course I missed you! Is just… this is so sudden” Holt passed his hand through his hair.

“I know, right? Jajaja, you should see your face Holt. I gave you a surprise, didn’t I? Jeremiah mocked his son.

“Actually you gave _everyone_ here a surprise, sir” Rongo took a step forward to say hello to Jeremiah and shake his hand. “It’s been so long since we saw you for the last time”

Mr Farrier gladly shook the strong man’s huge hand, “Ha! Rongo so nice too see you! And you Puck, Ivan, Catherine..” he started to shake everybody’s hands one by one, giving them pats on the shoulders and hugs. Then he turned around to meet Max.

“And Max...” Jeremiah apprached the short man.

“Jerry, haha! Is so nice to see you too ol’ friend” both elders hugged eachother smirking. Although Jeremiah did not have the closest relationship with the rest of the Medici Circus, he had a lot of appreciation for them. After all, if they are like family to Holt, they’re like his family as well.

Colette touched Holt’s shoulder and whispered, “Holt? You’re not going to present me to your father? Don’t be rude, _cherie_.” she rised a brow to him.

Holt’s eyes widened and mouth open “Oh! Yeah, right, I’m sorry” he touched his father’s shoulder after Jerry finished greeting Max. Mr Farrier turned around and glanced over the woman who was beside his son.

“Dad, this is Colette, Colette Marchant, she’s doing the act with Dumbo with us now. Colette this is my father, Jeremiah Farrier” Holt introduced them with his hand behind his back and slightly smiling.

“Please, call me Jerry, all my friends and family calls me Jerry. Is a pleasure Miss” he handed over his hand to her. Colette shook it as delicate as silk.

 _“Enchantée, monsieur“_ she softly responded.

“Ah, you’re french! I’ve never met anyone from France before!” Jerry exclaimed excited.

“Well, _merci_. I’m honoured to be the _first_ one” Colette joked.

Jerry laughed and then looked to his son, “So wait, you two are working together?” Jerry asked.

“ _Oui_ , he’s taking care of the elephant while I’m on the trapeze. Then we mix the acts” Colette afirmed. 

“You’re on the trapeze? That’s great! So in that case girl, I have to warn you:” Jerry came closer to the french woman like he wanted to tell her a secret. “This lad with you’re sharing the act, is not very easy to work with,” with that Holt, who was hearing everything his Dad was saying, gave them a puzzled look while everybody on the troupe was curious what the old cowboy wanted to say. “...my son Holt, can be very, _very_ stuborn. And sometimes he doesn’t listen, so I beg of you, don’t get mad at him. Yes I know he can drive someone crazy of how stuborn he can be, but have strength girl, _strength_.” Jerry finished with a smirk and winked at her.

Colette took all her power to not burst into laugh so as everybody in the tent, Milly looked at Joe, and both Farriers covered their mouths, snikering.

Holt on the other hand blushed and frowned to his own father, “Dad! Seriously?” he nervously exhaled, completely embarassed.

Naturally Colette, not wanting to miss the opportunity, followed Jerry’s teasing. “I know, is not easy, “ the aerialist made an exaggerated pout “...but I’m trying to be strong!” she aerialist said in a dramatized tone holding Jerry’s hand winking back at him.

  
No one couldn’t contain the laughter at such comment. The only thing that Holt could do was rolling his eyes.

  
 _“Jajajajaja_ , very funny princess, _very funny,_ I see you became fast friends with my pops. Go ahead, make fun of me, I don’t care” Holt sarcastically added.

  
Colette approached her friend and hugged him from his right side, “Come on, _cherie_ , we are just joking. Your father is so charming, he means well.” she smiled at the cowboy.

  
“She’s right, lad and thank you Miss.” he grinned. But soon after, Jerry looked confused with his head turning around. “Hey lad, where’s Annie? I want to see my daughter-in-law too. Where is she?” Jerry asked oblivious.

  
In just one second what started like a day with joy and warmth, turned into something mournful and sad. The tension began to feel so dense that someone could cut it with a knive. Each circus member’s face fell down in sorrow and discomfort. They couldn’t blame Jerry if he didn’t know about Annie’s fate, after all he wasn’t with them when her death happened.

  
Colette, feeling uncomfortable by hearing this, looked at Holt’s face again and decided to let him go from her embrace. The look of his eyes said everything.

  
Holt bowed his head, turned around and walked away from the troupe a little. Resting his only hand on his waist he stared at the ceiling, biting his bottom lip, with the attempt to try not to cry. He took a deep breath and talked, “She’s…not longer…with us…dad”.

Jerry walked to his son, “What do you mean, lad?” he didn’t understand at all.

“Well, Jerry…” Max tried to explain the best he could “…Annie, well…she’s, well she’s” the word won’t come out from the ringmaster.

Seeing that no one would dare to say anything, Joe took courage and spoke out loud. “Mom died of an illness, an year ago.” the boy’s voice craked a bit. "I think the desease was called... influenza."

Jerry turned his head quickly to his grandson in full surprise, the look of the 12 year old was sad but not to much to start crying. His glance went over Milly who had the same expression, so she hold the key of her necklace like she always do when she thinks of his mother. Solemnly Jerry stared into his son once more, wanting to comfort him, he slowly hugged him again.

 _“Oh Holt_ , good God I’m so, so sorry son. I-I-I didn’t know I…no one told me by letter. I heard about the influenza epidemic but, i could’ve _never_ imagine…”

“It’s ok poppa, really” Holt moved away grabbing Jerry’s arm “I thought Max _already_ told you.” the cowboy gave an accusing glare at his boss.

Max looked confused for this “Well Holt, of course I didn’t wrote him about Annie ‘cause this was somethin’ _you_ should tell him, he’s _your_ dad”.

Max had a point there, still Holt didn’t want to talk about the topic anymore, then he looked at Colette who had both hands on her chest, somehow he felt guilty by bringing his late wife in front her. His father spoke again.

“If you don’t want to talk about it, is ok, I understand” he patted his son’s shoulder “now you’re a single father, like I am, you have to be strong…” Jerry turned to his grandchildren once more “…for _them_ ”. With that, Jerry walked towards Milly and Joe and for the first time, he was going to talk to his grandchildren. _My grandchildren_ he thought fondly.

Both Farriers stared at their grandfather while he was approaching them. After a lot of stories their parents told about him and years imagining how their first encounter would be, grandfather and grandchildren finally met.

Jerry couldn’t believe his eyes, his grandchildren standing just one meter from him. They are already grown but he did not care, they were there, two beautiful children, his flesh and blood.

“I’m… really sorry about your momma, lads,” Jerry lamented to Milly and Joe, “it must have been very hard for you two, but fortunately you have your dad... and me” his voice craked a tiny bit on the last word.

  
“Thank you… grandpa” Milly decided to finally speak, “we are so happy that you’re here. Mom and Dad told us about you once in a while… and now… you’re here. R-really here.” she mumbled a little for nervousness, but in a good way since she was smiling since the beggining of her talk, “ _Oh God,_ now I have so many questions!” she laughed akwardly.

  
Jerry returned the laugh to his granddaughter, “Well I’m gonna stay here for two or three days at least, so we must seize the lost time, what do ya think?” he propoused.

  
Both Farrier kids nodded. Then Joe walked towards his grandfather, not taking his eyes from Jerry’s. “You know, I’ve always knew I had a grandfather somewhere,” Joe said, “but I’ve never imagined he’ll be with us one day.” the 12 year old boy’s eyes shined. Suddenly, Joe gave Jerry a strong hug, his tiny arms encircling the old man’s torso. Jerry, letting himself go with the emotion, hugged the boy back.

  
“You can hug me too ya know.” the old Farrier rised his head to look up to Milly.

  
The 18 year old girl smiled and approached Jerry, sharing with her brother an embrace with their grandpa. The three Farriers holding eachother was such a sweet image for the troupe to watch, everyone felt moved. Penny with her hands on her heart, Puck trying not to cry, Ivan and Catherine smiling muttering small _‘awwws’_. This even moved Holt who was watching them from behind, this was a long overdue reunion indeed.

  
All of the sudden, Jerry, still hugging his grandchildren, turned his head over Holt and spoke: “Holt, they are _precious_ ” he grinned. Holt returned the grin laying his only hand on his hip. Damn he tried so hard not to choke up in sobs ‘cause his dad will abruptaly say to clean his tears and be a man.

  
Gently, Jerry moved away from Joe and Milly wanting to look at their faces better, “Both of you, look exactly to your parents; Milly, like your mother. And you Joe, you just look like your dad when he was practically your age. How old are you?” Jerry asked Joe.

  
“I’m 12″ Joe responded, “and Milly is 18″ he added.

  
“18 and 12!” Jerry exclaimed surprised “Holy cow, well yeah, when Holt was 12 he looked just like you.”

  
“Really?” Joe said curious.

  
“Really. Well you look like him, but your hair is more arranged than your father’s when he was a kid. He was a _mess_!″ the old Farrier joked, hoping his son would’ve heard that.

  
Joe bursted into laughter, so as the rest of the Medici Family. For Holt, what started as a moving reunion, turned into something annoying, so he rolled his eyes and exhaled a grunt. “Yeah poppa, very funny. My hair was pretty long, I know. This is why you came here? To make fun of me?” Holt challenged.

  
“Oh, lad c’mon. If we can never mess with people and making fun of things, what’s the point of life?” Jerry stated. “Oh! I almost forgot, I brought presents!!” Jerry beamed, running to get his suitcase and place it in front of Milly and Joe.

  
“You brought us _presents?!”_ Joe jumped in delight.

  
Jerry knelt in front of his baggage, unlocked the suitcase and oppened it, “Just simple stuff, but with a big emotional value for me” Jerry said grabbing the first gift which was a small black box. “Milly, this one is for you” Jerry gave the box to his grandchild. “Open it, dear”.

  
When Milly oppened the box, the only thing that were there was a silver ring with a small round amathist stone in the middle, “Oh wow!” she responded, “This is a real amathist! Where did you get it?”.

  
“It was a gift I made to your grandma, our engagement ring. It ran through my family for generations.” the old cowboy looked fondly at the ring.

  
“My grandma?” Milly never heard a thing about her grandmama, probably because she died when her father was young, and well, he didn’t want to talk about it.

  
“Yes, Dorothy was her name, now I want you to have it.” Jerry pointed out the piece of old jewelry.

  
Milly’s eyes widened “No! No, I cannot accept it. This is yours and grandma’s” she felt confused. _Why would want me to keep something this meaningful? I don’t think I desearve it._ she thought.

  
“No, is _yours_ , I wouldn’t give this to some random stranger. You’re my grandaughter and I’m sure my Dorothy would’ve wanted to meet you and your brother. Keeping this important symbol in _your_ hands it will make her happy. Please Milly, take it and don’t dare to give it back”. Jerry stared at the girl’s eyes.

  
Milly looked at the ring once more and then to Jerry, “Alright grandpa, I’ll take care of it very well, I promise.”

  
“Good, now Joe,” Jerry knelt again to grab his grandson’s present on his baggage, “You’ll adore this, it saved my life so many times, is like a lucky charm.” the elder rose from the ground and had in his hands something covered in an old piece of cloth and handed it to Joe.

  
He received his gift in his hands feeling like Christmas came earlier this year, “Oh boy…” the kid started to unwrap the object from the cloth. When he finally finished he paused, his back facing the others.

  
“What did grandpa gave you? Let me see it, boy?” Holt asked wanting to watch the gift.

  
As soon as Joe turned around he pointed out his present to everyone “Dad, look!”. It was a silvered pistol with marks on its sides.

  
Everyone in the troupe startled in fright, some covered themselves while others screamed, _“Ahhhh!!!_ Joe get that thing out of our sight!!!!!!!” Max yelled kneeling, covering his face.

  
“What? I’m not going to hurt you.” the boy naively aimed the gun to his family, who were quikly backing down, moving his arm to the left untill it pointed at his sister.

  
“Goddamn it Joe, stop it. Put the pistol down!” Milly cried in anger.

  
Holt rapidly went over his son, grabbing his hand which had the gun and lowered it, aiming it to the floor. Jerry quikly intervened, “Hey! Don’t worry fellas, this is an old gun, it ain’t charged either” he rose his hands to calm the troupe.

  
The rest of the circus sighed in relief with Jerry’s confirmation but Holt glared at his father, “Dad, you can’t give my son a gun, are you mad!” he yelled.

  
“What? This is the revolver I used for back up in the Civil War, when my shotgun failed, I used this little friend to save my own neck, remember?” Jerry said proudly.

  
“You went to the Civil War, grandpa?” Joe asked still holding the pistol.

  
“Of course I went to the war, boy. Just like your dad. I think is in the blood. Right _Captain_ Farrier?”.

  
Holt snatched the pistol from Joe’s hands and his eyes darted on Jerry. “My son, poppa, doesn’t know how to use guns. He’s just 12!” the Stallion Star’s nostrils flared.

  
“So? I taught you how to shoot when you were **7**!″ Mr Farrier rested his hands on his hips. “You haven’t showed your child how to aim? Why?”

  
“Joe is _different_ , dad” Holt huffed.

  
“Different _how?”_

  
“Well Jerry,” Max intervened “if we let Joe practice shooting in the circus… I’m afraid there will be a _person less_ in the troupe.” the ringmaster stated.

  
Jerry sighed “Oh, people of little faith…”

  
“Yeah, I’m not _that_ stupid,” Joe exclaimed, “and is not even charged, so I won’t do anything, trust me.” the boy grabbed from his father’s hold his gift and put it inside of his pocket.

Holt sighed massaging the middle of his eyebrows and soon asked his father: “Wait pops, you haven’t answered my question I made before: How did you _know_ we where here?”.

  
“‘Cause I read the papers, the news. For a while, I thought you were dead because of the war. Annie, may she rest in peace, was the one who told me that you joined and you were named Captain.” Jerry grabbed a piece of paper from his back pocket “And since no one send me more letters after that, I thought the worst. Until I saw this:” he unfolded de paper to show everyone the headline of the event: ** _“The Tale of Dumbo is Real!”_**. “A flying elephant, I have to admit it, that is _something_ to talk about, but it is the second picture which truly _hooked_ me.” Jerry turned the page showing a photo of the troupe, with Dumbo in the middle, and among them there was Holt with clown makeup and costume.

  
“I saw this clown’s face and I said to myself: ‘Why this clown looks so _familiar?’_ And soon I realized, it was _you_ lad! My son was alive! Despite the arm of course…” Jerry said showing the Medici Circus the picture.

  
“Wait. How did you knew about my arm, if no one send you anymore letters?” Holt asked confused.

  
“I’ll tell you later, in private.” Jerry explained to Holt with a serious tone.

  
Holt nodded “Yeah, better _later_ …”

  
“Hey, I remember this photo,” Ivan added, pointing with his forefinger the picture “is our groupe photo the press took us after Dumbo’s flight, _eh amigos?”._

  
Colette suddenly leaned to see clearly the image of Holt as a clown, she heard that when Dumbo flew for the first time on the Medici Bros. Circus, Holt was dressed as a clown for the act. But the one-armed cowboy told Colette that those were just silly rumors, however the evidence was right in front of her face. The french woman couldn’t contain her laughter and covered her mouth.

  
“Oh! This is too much! _Oh mon dieu, cherie,_ you look _adorable_!” she gleefully said. “So the rumors _were_ true after all”.

  
Holt snapped out from the thoughts of his arm and looked at Colette’s expression at the photo “Dad!! That-that ain’t me, Colette... ehhh the picture is kinda blurry.” he nervously talked.

“Holt, I’ll recognise those eyes of yours _everywhere_!” Colette held her chin up grinning.

Holt blushed embarrassed, and glared again at his dad “Thanks...dad.” he said sarcastically.

  
Jerry giggled at his son’s indignation, suddenly Colette grabbed Mr Farrier’s arm, “Listen, I’ll pay you $50 dollars for that picture of your son as a clown” Colette joked, from behind Rongo and Puck were holding their laughter at Colette’s question.

Holt oppened his mouth and his brows rised, _“Woman”_ he warned.

  
“For you, Miss,” Jerry held the paper over the aerialist “ it will be for _free!”_ he happily said “Take it”.

  
“Well, _merci beaucoup!”_ Colette gladly took the paper and gave Holt a teasing glance.

It was too much embarrasment for the Kentucky rider to take, his father is trating him like a child in front of his friends. “Wait poppa, do not tell me that at home, in Kentucky, _everyone_ saw that picture!” Holt’s anxiety was elevating.

  
“Well lad… yeah. Each of our friends saw it. And I’m pretty sure the _whole_ country saw it too” Jerry added. 

Holt wanted to die in that moment. He soon thought of VA Vandevere: _Well, at least that demon is not here listening to this, that will throw my dignity to the damn ground._

Wanting to change the conversation topic, Holt slapped his thigh to gain his poppa’s attention,”Hey pops, speaking of Dumbo’s news, you want to see him?”.

Jerry looked at his son “Really? May I?”.

  
“Sure, he’s kinda of shy but very gentle. I’m his caretaker while my daughter trains him for the show.” Holt pointed out the elephant’s corral.

  
“Oh! You’re training him Milly? You got your father’s skills after all, jaja. So it does really fly or is just nonesense?” Jerry said curious.

  
“Oh, it _surely_ flies, grandpa,” Milly explained “come on, go see him”. The Farrier woman guided her grandfather to where the baby elephant and his mother stood.

  
Everyone walked towards the corral to see Jerry’s reaction to the flying pachyderm. Milly oppened the fence and called Dumbo to come out. “Come here Dumbo, come on, this is my grandpa. Come here to meet him”.

  
The big-eared animal walked out from the fence to finally meet Jerry. Dumbo stared at the old man with his huge blue eyes and rose his trunk to touch him. Jerry gently took the creature’s trunk like a handshake.

  
“You’re a weird animal indeed...” the old Farrier started glancing Dumbo’s big ears “...but you’re a God’s creature still”. he smiled. He then turned to his son again “From Stallion Star to elephant babysitter… who would’ve imagine it?” Jerry teased. Holt decided to sip his lips and say nothing, at this point it was useless to shut his dad up. “Ok, I want to see him fly now. Do you mind sugarplum?” he asked Milly.

  
“Not at all grandfather” Milly said. So she took from her pocket one of Dumbo’s feathers and helded in front the elephant’s face. “Let’s fly Dumbo!” she ran waiting for Dumbo to follow her. The baby pachyderm understood the signal quikly and followed his friend, trying to catch the feather. Milly threw the feather to the air and moved away from Dumbo’s way. Dumbo cought his amulet and with a great impulse, his ears lifted him from the ground and started to fly.

Jeremiah Farrier’s eyes were like big plates staring at the elephant, flying around inside the tent, like a bird in a cage. His mouth dropped and for a minute he didn’t say a word. How _could_ he? He was seeing a miracle happen a few meters from him.

  
Then, he finally articullated his jaw, “Ho-ly _shit!”_ he exlaimed out loud, even Joe hearded him but he didn’t care, his grandpa was in shock but in a positive way. Jerry turned his head over Holt with his mouth still open. The one-armed rider returned his father’s glance and snickered at his old man’s face.

  
“So? What ya think pops?” Holt asked.

  
Jerry managed to talk normally again “What I _think?_ That I’m surely not dreamin’, lad” he laughed “This is out of this world and you’re caring for him. I’m _proud_ of you, boy” Jerry winked an eye at Holt.

  
Holt’s eyebrows rised, feeling a good sensation on his stomach at his father’s commentary. He responed his poppa with a grin. But the good athmosphere was suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice, singing what it always sings when it enters.

  
 _“Whose been dreaming, what I’ve been dreaming?_ ” VA Vandevere spoke out, entering the training area with his usual showman smile, stomping his cane.

  
The Medici troupe turned abruptaly to greet their boss, they were so tired of his ‘Whose been dreaming’ motto, but still everybody responded at the same time: “We have”.

  
The tycoon was a bit surprised to find his employees just staring at the animal and Colette wasn’t even on his back. He didn’t noticed Jerry, who was standing behind Holt. The only person he wanted to look at directly was his _“little scientist”_ who returned the glance moving a strain of hear behind her ear and smiled, as a subtle way to say: ‘I love that you’re here’. Vandevere talked again.

  
“My good friends, what happened? Having a rest so soon?” the impresario pretended amability. _Seriously, why aren’t working?_ he thought.

  
“With all honesty, sir,” Holt huffed “we hadn’t had a rest for almost a day” the cowboy complained.

  
“If you knew Farrier what is on stake here, you’ll probably understand why is so important your effort, everybody’s efforts” Vandevere grabbed his cane’s head strongly. “But never mind, I’m not going to worry you with things you _won’t_ understand.” Vandevere said to the cowboy coldly, fortunately just Holt understood pretty well his boss’s statement. But before something else was said, Colette interrupted them.

  
“ _Cherie_ , the real reason of our break, is because we have visits, who wanted to see his family and meet our star.” the aerialist smoothly admited pointing out Jerry who walked towards the tycoon.

  
“Hello, my name is Jeremiah, Jeremiah Farrier, nice to meet you, sir” the old cowboy offered his hand to shake VA’s.

  
“Farrier?” Vandevere asked confused. _Another Farrier? Jesus Christ…_ he annoyingly thought for himself.

  
Holt, with no more option, sighed and introduced his father to his boss “Mr Vandevere, this is my dad Jeremiah Farrier, and dad, this is my new boss,VA Vandevere”.

  
“You can call me Jerry, sir” Jerry said, waiting the tycoon to shake his hand.

  
“Jerry,” VA responded politely, shaking the old Farrier’s hand, even though the cowboy’s grip was surprisingly stronger than VA’s “it is a pleasure to meet you. I had the _fortune_ to work with your son and his family this last few months.” Both veterans released their hands. Vandevere tried his best not to agitate his right hand from the pressure of the old man’s tight grip, he tried for his and Milly’s sake, he didn’t want her to think he is disgusted by her grandfather.

  
“Well I’m glad, sir,” Jerry leaned his hands on his hips “You have a flying elephant here, but you also have a Stallion Star”. Jerry patted Holt’s shoulder. “He is my proud and joy”. he smiled with pride at his son.

  
“I’m sure he _is_.” Vandevere said with a grin, although deeply, he couldn’t care less.

  
“But I have to _warn_ you Mr Vandevere…” Jerry started with the same topic he used with Colette before, which made Holt flinch, his eyes widened and his heart beated fast “…my son ain’t the easiest partner to work with, he’s pretty stubborn, ya understand, right?” Jerry spoke directly to the impresario.

  
Vandevere rised one of his silver eyebrows by the way the old Farrier reffered at his own son, so he answered, “Well Mr Farrier, you don’t have to worry about that,” VA put his hand on his chest “but yes, I have to admit your son and I had some _disagreements_.” then he looked at Holt annoyed expression wich made a bit his day.

  
“Please, call me Jerry Mr Vandevere, and I’m sorry if my son caused any trouble, he’s a good lad, but sometimes he can really break your patience. I _should_ know, I raised him”.

Jerry patted his son’s shoulder again giggling, but this time Holt rolled his eyes in impotence.

  
Vandevere found all this situation funny and satisfactory. Yes, he’s not gonna lie, his biggest rival and obstacle is being humiliated by his father in front of him. He wanted to clap at the Farrier senior. Which gave him an idea: if he cannot gain Holt’s trust, he can gain his father’s. VA continued talking to Jerry with straight sincerity.

  
“So, Jerry, what do I owe the honor of this visit?” Vandevere asked smoothly “Visiting your son I've heard?”.

  
“Actually, yeah, thanks for askin’, it’s has been a long time since I watched this lad, but I also….” Jerry left Holt’s side and headed where Milly stood and with his hand made a gesture to Joe to make him to come at his grandfather’s side, and the boy obeyed “…I came here to finally meet for the first time… my grandkids. Aren’t they beautiful, sir?” the elder embraced each kid with each arm.

  
Vandevere looked for a few seconds at Joe to finally look at Milly, deeply and fondly “Yes… _beautiful_ ” he silkly responded.

  
“There is bigger blessing than meetin’ your grandchildren for the first time, Mr Vandevere? Giving them kisses and hugs.” Jerry gleefully hugged the young Farriers.

  
“Yeah, yeah I can imagine that…” he didn’t dare to wink or smile at Milly, after all her father was just centimeters from him.

  
“Ah, you _do_?” Jerry questioned “You have any grandkids Mr?”

  
The tycoon was dumbfounded, even the rest of the circus gang were surprised by this question, so he rapidly answered “Oh, no, no, no! I don’t, believe me. I don’t have kids either if that is what you want to know too.” he said faking a laugh.

  
“Oh well…. that’s a pity” Jerry sighed.

  
“It _isn’t_ , trust me. I’m perfectly fine with what I got right now” VA held his cane like a baton “ The only purpose I have is making dreams come true to everyone in the world, here, in my park, Dreamland!” he finished pointing out with his cane the ceiling.

  
Jerry bowed his head to the entertainer agreeing with him while Holt cocked his head to Colette rising again one of his bushy eyebrows at her as a way of saying: _Kill me princess, I would appriciated very much if you do it._ And as a response she showed her palm to him like she said: _Just breathe, cherie, it soon will be over…_

Suddenly, Vandevere spoke again “Wait did you said this is your _first_ encounter with your grandkids? For what I know your eldest grandchild is 18, why just now?”.

  
“Well the thing is…” Jeremiah pointed at Holt with his forefinger “…this lad haven’t wrote me for God knows how long”.

  
“I _had_ wrote you, Dad” Holt protested through his teeth.

  
“ _4 letters_ , just 4 insignificant letters to your old man for 20 years!” Jerry complained. Holt shrugged and instantly glanced over Vandevere who looked at back, with a sneer.

  
“Farrier, I’m sorry but this surprises me,” the tycoon pretended pity and looked at Jerry “Jerry this is true? I didn’t know, I’m so sorry.” he made a fake pout.

“Is ok Mr.” Jerry nodded again, but all of the sudden his son intercepted. 

  
“Yes, Mr Vandevere didn’t know about this and he _shouldn’t_ , this is somethin’ just between you and me pops. It’s _our_ bussiness” Holt ended dryly glaring at his dad and his boss.

  
“Holt, your manners!” Jerry approached his son and grabbed Holt’s remaining arm strongly “I’m sorry lad, but you don’t need to behave like this either. Excuse him Mr Vandevere” he said to the impresario.

  
“Dad please, you don’t have to bring our personal problems in public. Stop it I _mean_ it!” Holt’s patience reached a point which it cannot ever return to its normal state.

  
Sensing tension, Milly called Dumbo to come down to break the bad mood of the situation. After the elephant reached the ground, Milly went over VA, her father and grandfather to change the subject. “Hey! Don’t argue alright!” Milly suggested.

  
“The kid is right, fellas,” Max stood beside Milly “this is supposed to be a lovely reunion between your son and you. If you have problems to talk about, do it in private.” the old ringmaster said directly to Jerry “And you Holt _please_ , control yoursef, your children and VA are here, give the example!” he aimed with his hand to the rider.

  
“Yeah, yeah, I know, I know how this goes…” Holt sighed in nuisance, then he formed a fist in his hand and beated four times his chest with it, saying: “My foult, my foult, the _biggest_ foult!” Holt harshly grumbled with his Kentuckian accent.

  
“Enough with the tentrums, lad. Nobody said this is your foult” Jerry rested his hand on Holt’s back. Then Milly spoke directly to Vandevere.

  
“Mr Vandevere, would you like to receive the report of today’s rehersals? We worked very hard this day.” the young scientist opened her notebook rising her eyebrows and grinning.

  
Vandevere smiled back at her, resting both hands on his cane, “Oh, I would _love_ to, but I think you should spend more time with your grandfather this afternoon, don’t you think, Miss Farrier?” he looked at the anciant guy, “After all, he came _all_ this way from Kentucky just to see you. How about this?: all of you have lunch at Dreamland’s caffeteria to talk and get to know eachother more, and after that you’ll give me the report Miss Farrier, what do you think?” he made a gesture with his hand.

  
Milly gave the tycoon a surprised look, _Why is he doing this? Now he suddenly wants to be nice in front of my grandpa?_ she thought _, Is he being…nice, for real?_ Milly found Vandevere’s sudden generosity super suspicious, she doesn’t have more reasons than the one of he’s doing this just to annoy her father. It has to be. Despite that, she politely answered: “Thank you, Mr Vandevere. So I’ll see you later.” she gave the 50 year old man a quick wink which he only could perceive.

  
Jerry suddenly asked “Wait, _you’re_ giving him the report? Why?” he asked curious.

  
“Because your granddaughter is organizing the new show, _monsieur_.” Colette affirmed looking at Milly with pride.

  
“You!?” Jerry felt so much joy that he went over to hug his granddaughter “I’m _so_ proud of you! I heard she’s very clever Mr Vandevere, I’m sure she won’t let anyone down” he turned to see the tycoon.

  
“I’m _absolutely_ sure of that sir,” VA admited “But you’ll have a lot of time talking about that at your lunch, which it _I’ll_ invite to all of you”.

  
“This is so generous of you sir, thank you very much!” Jerry beamed forming a huge smile with both his lips and enormous white moustache.

  
“Oh please, it was nothing Jerry. Because this is how things should be,” Vandevere clutched his own hands tightly “families have to be together. Even if the distance is big or the communication is minimun.” he finished watching with a cynic smile at Holt. With that the rider slapped his thigh with his hand and talked to his dad again before he says something insulting to the showman.

  
“Ok pops! Where are you stayin’? In a hotel?” Holt asked.

  
“Well not yet, although I saw a nice and modest hotel downtown in Brookling” Jerry responded.

  
VA intervened again “Brookling? Ah no, no, no! You stay _here_ Jerry, if I recall, your son’s appartment has an extra room for guests. Also do not worry about paying your stay, for you my friend, is free, am I right Mr Farrier?”

  
Holt grunted at Vandevere’s amability with his dad. He’s obviously doing this to put his father against him so the impresario can annoy him. And the worst part is that Jerry, just like Holt, is super stubborn, and he ain’t gonna change his mind about Vandevere’s so-called good intentions. So, with no more choice, Holt replied.

  
“ _Yeeees_ Mr Vandevere, is true, we do have an extra room. Wanna join us, pops?” Holt started to hyperventilate quietly.

  
“As a matter of fact yeah” Jerry responded.

  
“Good, let’s go! I’m gonna to put Dumbo on his corral, and then we leave now” the one-armed man wanted so bad this to end so he quikly guided Dumbo back to his place with Mrs Jumbo. Whilst he was doing that, Jerry and VA saw him from a distance and the old cowboy whispered at the showman’s ear. 

  
“This lad doesn’t tell me anythin’; since he was a kid he was like this. He never liked to express his feelings. He likes to live a life away from me ‘cause he’s too insecure of himself.” Jerry exclaimed. While VA tried so badly not to crack up of laughter at Jerry’s commentary.

  
“Ok everybody let’s get goin’ and have lunch, now, now!” Holt told to the troupe.

  
“So in that case, se ya later Mr Vandere, it was a pleasure” Jerry shaked VA’s hand.

  
“No Jerry, the pleasure was all _mine_." Vandevere shook the elder’s hand, despite its big strength.

  
“Please, let me help you with your suitcase, sir.” Rongo gently suggested, Jerry nodded to the strong man “Thank you, my friend”. Rongo lifted the suitcase and rested it on his shoulder and started to walk with the troupe towards the exit.

  
“Aren’t you coming guys?” Puck asked from the exit door.

  
“Yeah Puck give us a second” Holt responded “Joe, Milly, dad you go. I’ll have a word with Mr Vandevere”. With that the Farrier children and their grandpa left, leaving the cowboy and the tycoon alone.

  
VA rised an eyebrow to his rival with his poisonus smile, “So, what do you want to talk about, cowboy?” he cynically admited.

  
Holt frowned his bushy eyebrows and and gave his boss a sarcastic grin “You’re _enjoying_ this, right? You’re enjoying this” he said.

  
“Well I cannot say I dislike it. Why you never told me your father was so _charming?_ Hahaha!” Vandevere finally laughed at the cowboy.

  
“Stop it okay?” Holt challenged “Maybe my dad sees you as a good boss now, but soon, he’ll see that you are not so perfect."

  
“You’re are the one who talks Farrier? _You?_ Who doesn’t write or visit his own father?. You have always wanted to show how a man of deserved respect are you, how a great father you are, what a great moralist you have become, when in reality you’re are just a joke.” Vandevere spitted poison.

  
Oh how much Holt wanted to punch this asshole’s face, but still he decided to keep his head cold and use the words and not his fists to defend himself. So the rider smacked his lips and continued.

  
“You _really_ wanna talk about father and son relationships? Ah right ‘cause you have an amazin’ bond with _yours_. Look, between my pops and I we have some differences, is true, but at least he _loves me_ and I love him too. But of course… you don’t know what is like feeling _that_.” Holt sneered.

  
VA’s face become acid, his eyes started to show flames, his mouth twiched, the grip on his cane encreased. He headed towards his rival untill their faces were at just centemeters of distance “Careful, you _hick!.”_

  
“I _will_ be.” Holt grumbled clutching his teeth “Now I have to be with my family, excuse me” Holt started to walk away leving the impresario alone on the training tent.

  
VA’s mood was on fire but he knew that soon he’ll be with his little scientist and enjoying their own company. This made VA laugh and looked to the exit door where Holt left, _The joke is on you Farrier, your daughter is mine now…_


	2. The Fight

Soon after when the Medici Bros. Circus finished lunch alongside Jerry in Dreamland’s caffeteria, Milly went to the training tent where she’s going to talk to Vandevere about rehersals. On the other hand Joe went to his new circus friends appartment at the park, Holt took this as an opportunity to finally talk alone with his poppa. So, the Kentucky’s father and son duo decided to go to the Farrier’s Dreamland appartment, where the two could be alone for once and for all.

  
Jerry entered to his son’s new home and sat on one of the couches, while Holt stood still across his dad, sighing.

“Ok dad let’s talk and please, go straight to the point, no jokes, no kiddin’“ Holt rested his hand on his hip.

“Alright,” Jeremiah leaned his elbows on his legs, “what is the first thing you want to talk about?”

  
“My arm” Holt stated seriously “How did you know about my arm if Max or somone hadn’t told you?”

  
“Remember our neighbour Andrew Thomas, one of your childhood friends?”

  
“Yes, I do remember him, he was with me in the war, we fought together for a couple of weeks and I didn’t see him again”.

  
“Well, he’s alive, thank goodness, and he returned home in one piece.” Jerry looked at his son’s eyes. “He said that, after days and days without seeing you at the battlefield, he finally found you… on a hospital bed on the nursing tent, unconcious… with bandages on where it should’ve been your left arm. Andrew returned home, he told this to his parents and then his parents told me” Jerry passed his fingers through his hair “Honestly… I didn’t want to believe it, but well…it’s better than dying”.

  
Holt started to feel his chest clutching him, the memory of that day, when he woke up only to find his left arm was gone, was one of the most traumatic things that ever happened to him. He recalls how he screamed, how he cursed to God, to the war and to himself. The death of Annie was a lot worse that his missing arm, no doubt, but still.

  
“Yeah is way much better than dying pops…” Holt passed his hand at the back of his head, to at last, release his contained anger, “Now, other thing: why you have to humiliate me in front of my friends and most importantly, _my boss!!?”_ Holt barked out loud at his father.

  
“I _humiliated_ you?!” Jerry jerked back, puffiing up his chest, he was not gonna let his son speaking to him like that. “Because I said the truth!? You stopped writin’ me, you’ve practically ignored me through all this years!!!”

  
“That wasn’t the truth, pop! You were treating me like an idiot and judging me, like you always do!!!” Holt lifted his voice even more and the his glare grew.

  
“I judge you? On what? Tell me _git!!!”_ Jerry rose up from the couch.

  
“Do not call me git, dad! You know exactly what am I talking about.” Holt felt his blood running fast on his body “You were never agree for me to be a show rider” he said dryly _“Admit it”._

  
“Ahhhh that? Well…. yeah, I wasn’t agree. I wanted a good future for you my boy, a great career. And when you said you wanted to be a show rider I was worried that you would not have a secured life, but still I let you do it, ‘cause I wanted to see you happy and through that time I’ve supported you!! Or am I wrong?” Jerry adjusted the collar of his shirt, the air started to feel heavy for him.

  
“You _supported_ me when it was convenient to you!! ‘Cause you didn’t want to be seen as a bad father in public. ‘Jeremiah Farrier, the most respectable man in Kentucky’ ” Holt mockingly pretended a reverence at his father.

  
“That’s not true and you know it!!!” Jerry yelled with impotence “Even though I didn’t shared your dream in the way you wanted, I was still proud of you and…. despite everything…. I _still_ am” Jerry’s voice broke a bit.

  
Holt didn’t want to buy his father’s victimization so he continued: “So proud of me, that you humiliated me in front of my boss. You don’t know what kind of…man he is, dad”.

  
Jerry gave his son a confused look, “Mr Vandevere? He seemed like a nice person to me—”

  
“You don’t even know him pops!!” Holt interrupted his dad “He has something… something evil, I know it. He doesn’t care about our family, about our needs, about Dumbo, he only cares about himself and that’s it! The way he treated you in the tent was pure acting, he did that to annoy me ‘cause he knows we don’t like eachother!!!” Holt screamed.

  
Jerry sternly sighed “I think the war left you paranoic, son. If you don’t like him that’s a mania of yours, but if he doesn’t like you it will be for _something_ you’ve done, because you have always respected Max years ago”.

  
“A _mania!!!?_ Don’t say bullshit pops! I’m serious!!! Let’s go back to the begginig ok?!... If you want to say something to me… is your chance…”

  
“I would _love_ to, lad. Now is your turn to admit your flaws: As soon as you get the chance to join Max’s circus with Annie, you were so happy that you never had to see me again. Isn’t it!?” Jerry asked hurted to Holt.

  
Holt brought himself closer to his dad and the veins of his neck started to show and pumping on his skin, _“YES!!!”_ Holt confessed resentful to the older Farrier’s face. “Leaving home was like droppin’ a huge cargo of my shoulders! I wanted to be independent of you and I did!! Because all my childhood you judged everything I do, making me work at our farm hours and hours and saying I do things wrong!!! I’m a widow and handicapped, but you know what’s worse? _Standing you!!!_ You and your stupid commentaries, breaking my balls and breathing in my neck like a _fucking_ dragon!!!!” Holt finished with exhaustation, sweat runnig through his nape and two tears in his eyes.

  
Jerry was appaled and felt his own tears wanting to get out, but he did not dare to cry, not yet. His heart mas breaking and his legs felt weak, the only thing he could do was exhale through his nose and nod with his head.

  
“So… that’s what you _really_ think of me lad?”

  
Holt passed his hand through his face “Maybe…”

  
“Okay. Yes, I was the one who was judging you, _me_ , and you know why it was me?” Jerry did not look at his son, only the floor.

  
“Why…?” Holt sighed.

  
“Cause I was the only person caring for you, the _only_ one, ‘cause your momma died giving birth to you.”

  
“You’re blaming me for her death!?” Holt exclaimed dumbfounded for both his father’s statement and the mention of his mother.

  
“No!… I’m _not_ blaming you, God forbid me to do such thing, no, I said that ‘cause when that happened…” Jerry’s voice broke again “the death of your mother…. was the worst day of my life, I suffered like _hell_. She loved you lad, if you want to know. She loved you very much Holt when you were on her belly. She sang to you every nigh during her pregnancy, she even knitted your baby clothes . She wanted _so_ bad to be a mother… and she couldn’t when you finally came into the world… and her last words before she died were that she loved us both and the thing she regretted the most was… not raising you. So I promised her that I’ll take care of you and protect you from any harm….” Jerry blinked eagerly at the roof, trying to supress the burn on his corneas. “Raising you… was the _best_ thing that ever happened to me, but taking care of a child alone, being a single dad, wasn’t easy…. I love you my son, more than anything in this damn world…. and you became a famous rider and you’ve created two beautiful children. But…do you know how much I suffered because you never give any news? _You know!?”_ Finally, a tear slid from Jerry’s eye “I was harsh on you sometimes when you were a kid? Yes. Was I stern and strict? Maybe. I was the perfect father? Oh, I really _wish_ I had! I really wish I was the perfect father in all time, but I wasn’t, I…. was a father that… did what he could!!!” Jerry exploded, “I feed you, I dressed you, I had tought you everything I know, I put a _fucking_ roof in your stupid little head and I gave you my love!! And _all_ I asked of you was some fucking respect and gratitude! And you know what?”.

  
Holt looked up to his poppa with dampened cheeks from his tears.

  
 _ **“YOU CAN’T EVEN DO THAT!!!”**_ Jerry’s screams invaded the entire appartment. Thank goodness his grandchildren weren’t there.

  
Holt’s eyes widened and soon he covered them with his hand, while his shoulders were shaking. Both Farriers were absolutely tired of their fight and Holt tried his best to supress his anguish and act like a man, however, his father was seeing clearly his feelings. So Jerry spoke again, still panting from his yelling.

  
“I need a cigarette.” Jerry sniffed, he harshly dried away his tears. He grabbed from his right pocket his cigarette box and picked one, while from his left pocket he grabbed a match. He put the cigarette on his mouth and lightened up with the match creating a tiny light of fire. He inhalined deeply and exhaled a big cluod of smoke.

  
“Now the story is repeating itself, huh lad?” Jerry said not looking at Holt, the tone of his voice had twinge of irony.

  
Holt responded weakly “What are you talkin’ about?”

  
“I’m a widow, I raised a child by my own, and my child wanted to do something that I wasn’t agree with in the beggining. And now, you’re widow, single father raising his kids by your own and one of them wants to do something with her life you’re not agree with either. Milly told me at lunch she wants to be a scientist, right?” Jerry took another sip from his cigarette.

  
“It’s not the same, dad—”

  
“It _is_ the same, lad. And you’re not seeing it!” Jerry continued smoking.

  
Holt started to felt deezy and heady by the situation. His father’s words still ranged in his head, words which contained truth, anger, sadness, reggret and desesperation. The Stallion Star sobbed a little louder and his dad said with bitterness, “Clean those tears, lad. They won’t help you at all.”

  
Holt abruptally passed his sleeve thrugh his eyes, grumbly obeying his dad and sighed. Suddenly, Jerry exclaimed something weird.

  
“My hat” the elder said touching his head.

  
“What?” Holt asked.

  
“I forgot my hat, I should’ve left it in the training tent when I dropped it there… I’ll better go to find it” Jerry finished the last of his cigarette and threw it in the trash bin. “And while I’m looking for it… I’m gonna walk and cool my head… you should do it too, lad” with that Jerry oppened the appartment door and left. The old cowboy left the house covering his face with his hand. Sure that he was alone, he began to cry untill he left the building.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Holt was left alone with his head at edge of desesperation, he bit his lip and the tears kept coming out of his face. He thought if he couldn’t unburden his pain quikly he would explode. Then he looked at the phone of his house and an idea crossed his mind like an arrow.

  
He instantly picked up the telephone’s tube and one of the cable women answered, “Who would you like to speak to?” she asked.

  
Holt felt a lump on his throat due to his grief of the situation, but he managed to pronaunce a sentence “Colette Marchant…please” he answered hyperventaliting himself.

  
“Sure, one moment please” the cable women said. After a few seconds, she connected Holt’s line with Colette’s making the french woman’s phone ring a couple of seconds later.

  
Meanwhile on Colette’s place, the aerialist was sitting on her chair looking herself at the mirrior, wearing a white-platinum bathrobe since she came from her shower ten minutes ago and then she began combing her hair. She stopped what she was doing when the telephone rang. She walked towards it and picked out the phone tube.

  
“ _Oui_ , who is this?” Colette politely said.

  
“It’s-it’s me, Holt” Holt responded mumbling a bit.

  
“Ah! Holt, _bonjour_ ,” Colette beamed sitting on her small couch near the phone, her legs crossed “What is it? Look, considerate yoursel fortunate, you caught me after I had a bath so I didn’t have to run to talk to you, _ma cherie_ , jaja!” she laughed. But almost for twenty seconds later, there was no answer. Confused, Colette asked again.

  
“Holt? Are you there? If this is one of your pranks I’m not interested–” suddenly Holt finally spoke.

  
“Can-can I talk to you-” he started to sniff “in-in person…please…” Holt’s tone was already giving away his sadness which made Colette worried.

  
“ _Cherie_ …what is going on? You sound weird… are you ok?” 

  
“Please…” Holt sighed heavely “may I speak to you now…but in person in-in…your house…?” the rider asked.

  
Now Colette was sure that something wrong was going on to her friend, “Uhhmm, _oui_ , you can come, no problem. When?”

  
“Now…” Holt’s voice cracked again.

  
“Now?” _oh mon dieu, something is wrong I knew it. “Trés bien_ , come and I’ll wait for you” Colette’s concern for Holt was encreasing, and she didn’t know what was going on. However she decided not making more questions and help the cowboy, since telling from his voice, he was hurted.

  
Holt thanked Colette quietly and hung up the phone. He rushed to Colette’s appartment which was just one floor above the Farrier’s. When the rider finally took the elevator, walked the hall andreached the aerialist’s door, he vigorously knoked it. The french woman heard the door and rapidly went over to open it, only to find Holt leaning on the entrance’s border, his head hunging down like he was completely exhausted. One second later, he lifted his head showing his inner ache and tears, Colette was perplexed.

  
“Holt, what is going on!? You sounded so anguished on the phone” Colette questioned Holt sincerely concerned.

  
“May…may I come in?” Holt’s eyes closed and opened, provoking a teardrop fall.

  
“ _Oui_ , come in” the aerialist softly replied.

  
Holt entered the appartment till he stopped in front of the small couch. He turned around to see the woman who is willingly helping him and approching him with a worried air.   
“Holt, please tell me what’s wrong with you.” Colette started; then she looked deeply into the cowboy’s eyes “Tell me Holt, you are worrying me, I feel you very sad, you are crying…” her voice was warm like the sunset for the rider.

  
“I-I…” Holt craked againg, not able to supress his sobs, “I need to talk to somone…. no, no, not to _someone_ … to _you_ princess!” then Holt desperately cried, teardrops falling like waterfalls.

  
“Oh, _ma cherie_ _!_ Come here...” Colette without hesitation hugged Holt, her right hand behind his head and her left hand behind his back. Holt returned her hug strongly, burying his face on her soft neck, while his tears ran through her skin, but she didn’t care.

  
“Come, sit down” Colette suggested. Both adults sat on the couch and they remained embracing eachother. Colette caressed her friend’s back and head gingerly, she didn’t mind waiting for him to stop crying, she just let him be untill he was ready to talk again. Very slowly, Holt’s shoulders stopped shaking and his breathing became more moderate.

  
Holt caressd Colette’s back too, with his eyes closed, smelling her clean scent which calmed his mood. She recently had a shower so her smell was more prominent. Although his tears kept coming out, Colette’s presence started to dry them up. Holt felt his sorrows running away a little at last, and it was all thanks to her. How does she do that?.

  
Gently, Colette moved away from her dear friend, sure that he was calm enough to speak, she talked first, caressing Holt’s arm.

  
“Holt don’t scare me. What happened? Something happened to Joe or Milly?” the french girl worried for her friend.

  
Holt took a deep breath and glanced at his friend’s beautiful blue eyes. He knew he couldn’t lie to Colette, she’s too smart to be deceived, so he spoke as calmly as he could. “No…nothing happened to my kids, I hope not. No,… it’s me…I- _I am_ the problem…”

  
“With what, _amie_?”

  
“I’m…I’m…no…” Holt shooked his head eagerly “I shouldn’t have come, I’m sorry… I should better go…” Holt didn’t want to talk about the problem but Colette stoped him.

  
 _“Non, non, non!”_ Colette ordered “You came here to talk and you are going to talk now”.

  
Holt looked away, trying to ignore her but the Queen of Heavens cupped his chin and turned it so he could see her face to face “Say what’s wrong Holt. And do _not_ avoid me with 'the look' ” she demanded seriously.

  
The cowboy inhaled deeply through his nose “My father and I had a fight and it was _horrible_ Colette….he said into my face some truths that… hurted me but still….he had all his right to do it…”

  
“You fought with your dad? And he said truths in your face? _What_ thruths? Why, what did you do?” Colette said curious.

  
“I said to him that…” Holt felt his throat tight again “leaving home was a relief, ‘cause he was annoying… that he was…. a _cargo_ for me…and I’d said to him that being a widower and handicapped was….easier than …. standing him”.

  
Colette opened her mouth indignant after hearing what Holt confessed “You said that?! _Oh mon dieu,_ ” she looked down sighing “well, that explains why _you_ called yourself the problem.” Colette lifted her head.

  
“Please, woman…. don’t mock me… I’m _serious_ , I don’t have the energy for that. I already feel guilty for what I did, I feel terrible!” Holt cried.

  
“I’m serious too, calm down I’m trying to help you, idiot! “ Colette cried back.

“Sorry…” Holt apologized “Now my father will never forgive me. I feel like, like… how do you say 'shit' in french?”

“ _Merde?_ ”

“Yeah! That’s right! That’s how I feel, that’s what I am, a piece of _merde_.” Holt huffed to himself.

  
“ _Non_ , _merde_ no!” Colette stopped Holt rising her hands, “You are not a piece of shit Holt. I’ve met a lot of pieces of _merde_ in my life and you , you are **_not_ **a piece of shit! Sometimes you said the wrong words because you are brute, that’s true, but you did not meant a word you said to your dad. You are a good man”.

  
“Of course I didn’t mean what I told to my pops, Colette” Holt sighed “But now I don’t know how I’ll look at him in the eyes after what we... _shared_ ” he shrugged.

  
“He will forgive you Holt,” the aerialist comforted the rider “because despite what you told him or whatever your intentions were, he _still_ loves you. I saw his reaction when he saw you in the tent and I could tell it was _pur_ _bonheur_ , he was _so_ happy to see you Holt. A lot of people fight with their parents, me _myself_ included! You’re not the only one who goes throgh this, _cherie_ , is not the end of the world” she giggled to cheer him up.

  
Holt giggled back but just for a second “Yeah, I guess, still, what I’m supposed to do when I’ll see him again?” the rider from Kentucky closed his eyes with his head tilting down,

  
The french aerialist rested her hand on the rider’s, squeezing it a tiny bit “Where is your father now?”.

  
Holt reacted to Colette’s sudden touch on his hand, it was something that cought him out of guard but he…enjoyed it. Her hold was soft as silk and warm; he started to rub her fingers gently with his thumb, “He said that he forgot something and… I don’t know... he told me he’ll go for a walk to think... he told me to do the same.” Holt replied and kept staring at the french girl’s hand and how his thumb was caressing the skin of her fingers. He lifted his head up to only see her reaction at his own touch on her. She was smiling at such contact which made Holt’s heart beat a little faster. However, Colette shook her head and spoke again, not wanting to destract herself too much, although she _loved_ every second of the cowboy’s sweet gesture.

  
“He is right, _mon amie_. Your dad _is right,_ you should go for a walk too, taking fresh air and thinking an apology. Just go, take your time, and clear your mind and cool your head. Relax and think what you have to say the next time.” Colette suggested untill another idea crossed her mind “How about this, _cherie_? Why don’t you go to the horse stables, grab the horse you like the most and ride around the city and come back when you feel ready, _trés_ _bien?”_

  
Holt rised an eyebrow and slightly gave a smile to his friend “That’s not a bad idea…. ok, you convinced me”. his smile grew a bit more, making Colette do the same too.

  
“I know how happy makes you ride horses, is a big part of your life, so I thought it could be a good idea” Colette rised her hand and cupped Holt’s right cheek.

  
The cowboy’s eyes widened when the french woman’s palm founded his face. He couldn’t resist at this gesture so he leaned at her touch and closed his eyes for a bit, giving a small smile. Then his eyes opened again to find hers, their glances connected instantly granting Holt all the strength he needed. So, the rider, gently, rose up from the couch and looked fondly at Colette….his _friend_ , _Why does it sound so weird calling her ‘friend’?_ he thought conflicted, _‘Cause that’s what we are. Only…friends. But why I do not feel she is just a **friend!** If I’m feeling what I feeling for her…Oh gosh, how gorgeous she is with wet hair…_ Holt snapped out of his thoughts to speak at last.

  
“Thank you Colette, thank you for listening to me…” he coughed gaining again his composture, while the aerialist rose from the couch as well “…sorry if I bothered you”

  
“ _Absurdité_ _!_ I’m glad I helped you. It was the least I could do, even though I haven’t done anything really.” Colette made a gesture with her hand.

  
“ _Don’t_ say that, you’ve done a lot, more than you think” Holt admited “I feel… _very_ comfortable around you princess, I think you’re the only person here on Dreamland… I can trust with my life.” he was fully concious of what he confessed, but he didn’t felt embarassed by it, he was sure, he meant each word.

  
The Marchant woman blushed red and coughed a little, this made Holt happy and it showed. Then, Colette spoke again, “O-ok, ahhhmm, so you better go now… a-and I hope things get resolved between you and your father, _cherie_ ” she told her friend mumbling a bit. “And please, don’t do anything stupid”.

  
“I’ll try, so, se ya later then.” Holt smiled once more and headed to the door and said goodbye to the french woman. He opened the door but before he left, he returned to Colette’s side.

  
“What is it now, _ma_ _cherie?”_ Colette asked confused.

  
“I…uhh” Holt became nervous with his words, but what he did after, for him, didn’t _need_ and explination: Holt quikly leaned to Colette and gave her a kiss on the cheek, he turned around, left her house and closed the door. Leaving Colette alone and open-mouthed, unable to make her blush fade away.


	3. The Secret

Meanwhile with Jerry: as soon as the old Farrier left the hotel he headed to the training tent while wiped some of his tears, fortunately, no one was near to see him. He just wanted to find his hat and ponder after what happened between him and Holt, however, Jerry doesn’t know where the _hell_ to go since he was barely in Dreamland for like three hours, he’s not familiar with the place at all, so he didn’t know where the traing tent entrance was from his son’s home. In a couple of seconds, he get lost. Jerry sighed in indignation _‘Where is a fucking map when you need it?!’_ he thought angry with himself. Then he entered into one of the Colloseum’s service doors and founded a second entrance to the training tent.

  
Jerry followed the path with his head hunging down, he felt awful for how he screamed at his son but talking to Holt was hard since, like him, he’s incredibly stubborn, _How on earth I’ll apologize to the lad? He’s mad at me…maybe he’s right…maybe I’m just a cargo…_ Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted when he almost was just meters away from the second tent entrance he heard some voices and giggles. Jerry slowly reached the entrance, he saw and founded the origin of those voices: it was a man hugging a woman, and for the noises they were making Jerry could tell they were kissing. All of the sudden Jerry recognised the man by his fine clothes, hair and the cane that was on a corner beside the passionate couple. Then the young woman said his name which gave Jerry all the evidence he needed: “Oh, VA…you’re _crazy”_ the young woman moaned. The old Farrier couldn’t see the female since Vandevere’s back was covering her from where Jerry stood.

  
 _Wow, Mr Vandevere is a naughty daring_ , Jerry Farrier thought with a raised eyebrow and a sideway smile. Fortunately he was hiding pretty well from where he was, he thought the whole situation was funny…. untill Vandevere turned around showing who was the young woman on his arms…. It was Milly.

  
“My little scientist, my beautiful emerald,” Vandevere grunted, touching Milly’s neck with one hand and her ass with the other.

  
Jerry was appaled for what he was looking at, he was disgusted that an old man was kissing and touching his granddaughter, he felt his blood boil, his mouth dropped intantly and his eyes seemed like he was becoming crazy. When the couple turned a bit once more, Jerry quikly stepped back and hid behind a wall, so he could not be seen. The old cowboy stood there, listening to the obcenities that man was saying to her grandchild, he couldn’t do anything, he felt frozen. _What is that man doing with Milly?!! My granndaughter is kissing him, laughing with him…oh God help me!_

  
Suddenly Jerry listened no more moans or grunts, the Farrier senior went to see again and saw Mr Vandevere leaving by the principal entrance of the training tent, the entrance Jerry tried to find, that is where his hat should be at. While Milly headed to the second entry, where Jeremiah Farrier was hiding, the girl walked through the path with a smile on her face, not suspecting anything, untill somone grabbed abruptaly her arm. “Hey! Whose that?!!! Let me go!!!” she yelled. Milly spuned aroun, it was her grandfather.

  
“ _Grandpa?!_ Oh my God, don’t grab me like that you scared me!!!” Milly was indignant and surprised.

  
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry” Jerry said, resting his hands on his hips “Are you ok? You’re fine? Do you need somethin’?” his questions were fast and eagerly.

  
Milly gave Jerry a puzzled look, she didn’t know what was happening to her grandfather to behave like this “Grandpa, are you ok? Why your eyes look so… _frantic?”._

  
“You tell me,” Jerry’s moustache was twiching “maybe because I was kissing my boss… no, wait! It was _you_ young lady!!!!” he confessed out loud.

  
Milly’s eyes now were the ones that were opening in fright, she felt the whole world against her, her knees were trembling so as her hands, her mouth was dry and the sweat started to come out. _No, no, no, no, no this isn’t happening. How does he know? How does he know?!!!_ she thought scared. The only way to get a response…was confessing… but she didn’t want to.

  
“W-w-what are you talking about, grandpa—” but Jerry cut her off.

  
“Don’t you dare _lying_ to me, darlin’. I _saw_ you, I saw you both kissing like teenagers…and he was…tauching your– _aghh!_ I couldn’t watch, it was too much for me” Mr Farrier grunted closing his eyes.

  
Milly was trapped, she had no choice _“How_ did you saw us?”.

  
“Look, I left my hat on that tent when I’ve arrived here, so I came through this way to get it…well I haven’t found my hat but I’ve found you…and him…please do not make me say it”.

  
“I’m sorry that you had to find it out like this grandpa” Milly looked down with sadness “I know you must feel disgusted by me”.

  
“No, for _him_ I feel disgusted. For you I can only feel…pity and dissapointment. How? _When?_ How long have you been….together?” Jerry asked.

  
“For a month” Milly said shyly.

  
“A _month?!_ ” Jerry was perplexed “Do you know how old is he? You’re smart, you should know it!” Jerry’s screams were uncontrolable, and Milly shut him up.

 _“Shhhh!_ Grandpa, please, someone can hear us!” Milly said desperated.

  
“I’m sorry, but… sugarplum….you’re just a child whose barely starting to live. Can’t you see he’s using you?”

  
“I’m not a child and he’s _not_ using me!” Milly started to feel insulted. “I’m 18, I can choose whoever I want to be with!” she crossed her arms.

  
Jerry sighed “Ok, you’re 18, you’re not a _child_. But you’re not an adult _either_ , you still have a lot to learn young lady, you should learn you’re _way_ too young for a man of his age!”.

  
“He’s not _that_ old” Milly grimced.

  
“Oh yeah? How old is he?” Jerry asked indignant.

  
“50...” Milly responded a bit embarassed.

  
“Oh my lord…does your father knows this?” the old cowboy felt impotent, he wanted to protect her granddaugter but she wasn’t making this easier.

  
“No! He doesn’t… and that’s what I want to ask of you” Milly said.

  
Jerry rised an eyebrow and give all his attention to his grandchild, “Please, do _not_ tell this to Dad. If he knows about this… everything will be ruined, he will try to kill VA! He’ll _never_ forgive me, so please grandpa don’t tell him, promise me that I beg you.” Milly implored. 

  
Jerry heavely sighed “But you…you know what you’re doin’? How can you not see this? Does that guy think just because he’s the boss, that gives him the right to take my granddaughter away?!! He’s manipulating you, he’s seducing you—”

  
“I _love_ him and he loves me!” Milly admited with all her heart “You can think I’m crazy or I’m out of my mind or he’s too old for me, but this is what I’m feeling grandpa, this is my choice. He is not taking me away from you, I’m willingly giving myself to him!”.

  
The elder was a bit shocked at his granddaughter’s declaration, but still, this doesn’t change anything “He’s _using_ you my darling, _listen_ to me, maybe now it _seems_ like he loves you, but then he’ll…he’ll…. Have you seen one of Pramesh’s snakes? That one called a boa constrictor? Well Vandevere, like a boa, he will open his mouth like this:” Jerry joined his hands and turned them around to simulate a snake’s mouth and separate them to pretend is opening slowly in front of Milly’s face “it will open, and open, and open, and open, until one day he… ARGHH!!!” Jerry abruptally smaked his palms so loud that made Milly startle and back up. 

  
“He’s going to eat you up! Listen to your grandpa sugarplum. I’m not saying this ‘cause I’m an overprotective grandpa or ‘cause that guy is rich is a moron, I’m saying this for _you_ Milly, ‘cause I love you. Men like him….I see them coming.” Jerry pointed her out with his finger, his tone was immensely serious.

  
“Grandpa, he won’t hurt me, trust me, I’ll be ok” the Farrier girl didn’t want to cry now, so she bit her lip.

  
“You’re already bewitched…”Jerry admited exhausted “Good _God_ , this are too many emotions for one day. First I fought with your dad and now this—”

  
“Wait, did you fight with Dad? What happened?” Milly asked confused.

  
“Nothing, nothing you should worry about, the point here is other:” Jerry started to confess what he thought about the situation. “You’re free to make your own choices, if this is what you want… then you have the free path. But I do not share it, I _don't_ , I’m not ok with is for one bit. I’m sure this is not going to end well, I just hope that _you’re_ not going to be the one who will suffers the most, If that man inadvertently hurts you, I’ll be there to protect you. As for your father—” Jerry was interrupted by Milly.

  
“Don’t tell him! Please!” Milly begged scared.

  
“I am not going to tell him, calm down. I promise I won’t say anything to him or to anybody, you have my word.” Jerry crosssed his heart with his finger.

  
Milly sighed in relief, then Jerry cupped her face with his hands “Just please, _remember_ what I said. Be prepeared, be ready, you’re clever and strong but you’re also sensitive and fragile, you may say you’re not…but _you’re_.” Jerry softly said to her granddaughter. Milly grabbed her mother’s key tightly wanting to prove to her grandfather she’s not in danger, but it will be useless to convince him, he knows her secret now. She looked up and nodded to her grandpa in agreement, sealing her lips.

  
“Good,” Jerry sighed giving Milly a kiss on her forhead “now…if you excuse me, I have to go to find my hat, but first, after seeing what I saw… I think I’ll better have some fresh air”. He walked away from the young Farrier, leaving her concerned and uncertain on what will happen from now on.

\-----------------------------------------------

The sun began to set down a bit in Dreamland but still its light shined strongly, this kind of afternoon were just like the ones from Kentucky that Jeremiah Farrier remembered. If only things were more simple to him, after what he been through, it was too much for him and the day hasn’t even ended. He decided to take a stroll nearby the docks so he could see the ocean, since he never saw the sea before. He thought the sea bring peace if you look at it…and it is true: the sound of the salty water calmed Jerry down. After a few minutes, the old Farrier continued his path to find his lucky hat for once and for all.

  
At last, Jerry found the principal entrance of the training tent from where he arrived that morning. He opened the door and tried to find his lost belonging. “Finally…” he sighed “This park is like a _damn_ labrynth!”. He looked around the floor from where he recalled he threw away his hat.

  
“Ah!… _there_ you are” Jerry spotted his brown hat which was lying on the ground, he picked it up and brushed away some hay it had on it. “Ya know…I’m kind of glad I’ve lost you, if not, how would I find out what I saw?” Jerry smiled at his lucky hat, but then he heard a sound inside the training area. “Whose there?!” Jerry yelled.

  
He walked into the the trainig zone only to find Colette, leaning on one of the trapeze poles, wearing a simple black dress and a grey chall covering her shoulders. She lifted her head and looked directly at Jerry. “Oh, _monsieur_ Farrier! _Bonjour_ , what brings you here?” she asked with an elegant grin.

  
“Well, I’ve lost my hat” the elder held up his hat so Colette could see it, “I’ve left it here this morning. Remember? When I greeted Holt?” he walked towards the french woman.

  
“ _Oui_ , I remember,” Colette slightly giggled.

  
“And…what are _you_ doing here?” Jerry questioned.

  
“I’m waiting for Holt, he took a horse and went for a ride on the street, he’ll be back in a couple of minutes. He…needed to _think_ …”

  
Jerry nodded staring at the ground, grimacing with his moustache. “He told ya ‘bout our fight, didn’t he?”

  
Colette crossed her arms and gave an empathic look, “ _Oui_ ,” then she decided to tell Holt’s dad everything, he needed to know how his son felt, “he told me what he said and what you said _monsieur_ , but you have to know he is _very_ sorry, he feels regret, he felt…so desperated. If you had only saw how sad he was, _believe_ me.” she confessed.

  
“I _do_ believe you” Jerry rested one hand on his waist “You wanted to comfort him and that’s ok.”

  
“Sure, I had to,” the french trapeze artist said “he went to my house right after you two had… well… fought. And he needed to unburden himself and talk to someone he… _trusts._ ” she ended the last word with weight.

  
Jerry gave a tender smile to Colette “He trusts you, ‘cause you’re his friend, is that simple.” the old cowboy softly proceeded “If you _ever_ have a sad day like Holt had, you woulde’ve find consolation with him too, and knowing my son, he’ll open the doors for you without hesitating”.

  
Colette’s ears flushed at that idea “Maybe, I don’t know…” she nervously giggled.

  
“So! My son went for a ride, eh?” Jerry exclaimed.

  
“ _Oui, exactement._ ” Colette responded with her chin lifted.

  
“Yeah, that’s my son for ya” Jerry sighed “always ridin’. Since he was a young lad he always loved to ride, even when it rained! He didn’t mind at all. Everytime he felt super happy or super sad, he rushed outside, grab a stallion and mounted for a while. For an hour like much he returned home, _ja!_ ” he laughed.

  
Colette laughed too at the sweet memory that Jerry just shared “And you should’ve felt worried if he was away for a whole hour, _vérité?”._

  
“Oh! Of course I was. I trusted my son, but I’d always be alert. I’ll protect my boy in _any_ moment, even if he already grew up”.

  
 _“Naturellement”_ Colette’s voice was fluent as champagne.

  
“In that case, thank you for giving consolation to my boy” Jerry gave another tender glance at her, “it means a lot after what he has been through, not just for our fight, but also for what he expirienced _before_ …ya know what I’m talkin’ about Miss”.

  
“ _Oui_ , of course I know.” the french lady nodded and sighed, “And do not thank me, _monsieur_ Farrier, it was the least I could do for Holt and if you want me to be honest, the whole situation also left me _complètement choqué“_ she admitted.

  
Jerry rose an eyebrow, not knowing what Colette had just said “W-what?”

  
Colette’s eyes opened in alert, she forgot that this man doesn’t know a smidge of french “Oh sorry, _complètement choqué_ , it means ‘completely shoked’. That’s how I felt but in a good way _monsieur_ , I’d mostly felt moved by it.” she told him with complete honesty.

  
“Ah, _now_ I understand,” Jerry laughed quietly “you felt moved and shoked at the same time, I can see it. Sometimes you felt like that when you see _something_ that it can really… _shock_ you, right?” Jerry started to remember what he saw almost an hour ago with his granddaughter and Mr. Vandevere. His discomfort about that situation made Mr Farrier’s stomach felt sick and his eyes got lost, looking at nowhere. Jerry’s sudden change of mood got Colette’s attention.

  
“ _Monsieur_ Farrier, are you alright?” she asked “Are you still sad about your disagreement with…you know?”

  
Jerry snapped back to reality “What? No, no, is other thing which….uhmm…how can I say this…?” the elder Farrier haven’t forgot his promise to his grandaughter but then he also recalled that at lunch with the troupe, they had told him some things about Dreamland, including Colette. So with all the confidence he got, Jerry indirectly asked to the french woman.

  
“Miss Marchant, you had been Vandevere’s girlfriend for… I don’t know... years, am I correct?”

  
Jerry’s question surprised Colette “Uhhm, _oui_ , I mean not anymore, that was ages ago. What we have now is just for appaerances. We _never_ loved eachother if you want to know, but why? What does it have Vandevere to do with this?”

  
“Nothing, it has to do with nothing, I just want to change the conversation topic and talk about him now.” Jerry sighed “So... just appaerances, but you still you’ve known him for years, so you must know him very _well_ till today?” he stared serious at her.

  
“Well…yes, I know him pretty well. But again, _why_ are you asking this, _monsieur?”_

  
Jerry wanted to be sure, he was not going to risk his grandchild’s trust but he had to try to do this, “Ok I’m going straight to the point, do you know if Mr Vandevere is… attracted to young women, I mean _very_ young women, teenagers, like I don’t know… _Milly’s_ age?”

  
Suddenly Colette froze, _Does he know?!_ she thought. She took a deep a breath and asked “ _Non_ …why?…Do you _know_ something?”

  
“Do _you_ know somethin’?” Jerry also asked intrigued.

  
“I don’t know,” Colette lied, she was becoming nervous “Maybe I _know_ something..”

  
“Maybe _I_ _know_ something too.” Jerry kept copying her.

  
All of the sudden both adults stood silent, looking at eachother with complete confusion and uncertainty. They knew _well_ what the other was referring but avoiding at the same time. The two refused to break the ice, the subject of the conversation was consuming them, however Jerry’s patience didn’t want to hold this anymore so he sharply admited.

  
“You _know_ what I’m talking about Miss. I know it, I know that… Mr Vandevere and my little Milly have… _an affair”_. He growled the last word.

  
Colette loudly gasped, covering her mouth “You know!!!!” she then shouted.

  
“And _you_ know too!!”

  
“Of course I know! But how, how did _you_ find it out?!”

  
“I _saw_ them. I was looking for my hat and I saw them from that entrance.” Jerry pointed with his finger the second door. “That’s where I saw… my grandchild, kissing that man and….oh my God Miss Marchant, I can’t do this, I _can’t_ keep this secret and pretend I’m okay with it.” Jerry sighed with impotence “Fortunately, you know it too, so I can talk about it with somone else at least.”

  
Colette rested her palm on her forhead closing her eyes and exhalating _“Oh mon dieu,_ this is getting out of hand…”

  
“ _Ya think!?"_ Imagine how I feel?” Jerry exclaimed “But, how _long_ have you known about this? How did you find it out?”

  
The french woman knew if she wanted to prove to Jerry she’s not using or deceiving his family, she needed to be completely honest. Even if the truth can hurt, “I’ve known this since I saw VA having an attraction for Milly on the Medici circus, and so as she, and slowly they have gotten closer. Look I don’t know all the details but I know how they had managed to sneak out and well, have a _moment privé,_ more than one time…”

  
“How?” Jerry asked.

  
“Let’s just say that I… _helped_ them” Colette said with regret.

  
“You _what?_ Why would you do that?!” the old Farrier was even more shocked.

  
 _“Excuse moi,_ I’m sorry I didn’t mean to cause any trouble, but listen to _moi_. At first I thought it was just attraction that Vandevere had for your granddaughter, Milly felt the same too and I believed that as soon as they… get together, it will be over and both will move on with their lives. I’m ashamed to say this, but at first, for me, it seemed like _un jeu,_ a game. Because it was funny to see Vandevere so lost and distracted for a girl for the first time, so… I helped him by hearing him how he felt for Milly. And I helped her too and… _this_ happened.” Colette regretful leaned her elbow on her right hand and touched her cheek with her left one, looking at the burning old man’s eyes.

  
Jerry couldn’t believe what he was hearing, if it wasn’t by the sincere remorse on Colette’s expression, he would’ve hated the woman with all his being. She continued talking and Jerry , wanting to know the whole truth, even though it hurted, let her.

  
“ _Monsieur_ Farrier…I don’t blame you if you hate me, because you _should_ hate! I’m _not_ proud of what I did, but believe me when I say, with Milly, I had good intentions.”

  
“ _Good_ intentions? Givin’ her to a pervert old man is a good intention to you?!” Jerry yelled.

  
 _“S’il vous plait,_ hear me! Put yoursef in Milly’s place: she was so torn whith this new feelings towards Vandevere, she even felt… how can I put this to you… _awful_. She wanted to deny what she felt for him but it became stronger and she felt lost, with no one to talk to about this…except moi.” Colette admited with pure confidence.

  
“So you…just listened to her and told her that is ok to feel attracted to a 50 year man who tauches and squeezes her like….like a sponge? Honestly, I’m trying to understand this Miss, but—”

  
“The point is _monsieur_ , she was alone in this situation with those feelings, _alone!_ She couldn’t tell her father, or her brother, Penny, Catherine, to no one!” Colette pointently said “Milly is enamoured with Vandevere. Do you think her family would accept that? No, they won’t!…. She knew I dated him so she told me, indirectly but told me still, I was the only one who understood what she was going through, after all, I was with that man and I know him for over 10 years.” she sighed.

  
Mr Farrier wanted to be mad at this woman…but he couldn’t. Even though what Colette did wasn’t something he’ll approve, he knew her heart was in the right place, somehow.

“I really wish I can despise you, I’m not gonna lie, but I can’t.” Jerry responded.

  
Colette was surprised by Jerry’s answer “Why not? I think you should.”

  
“Yeah but, I can percieve by your eyes, tone and glance that you’re sincerely regretful by this and if the secret sees the light…you’re full aware that it will not gonna end well. You are a woman with scruples…at least.” Jerry stared at Colette with full attention.

  
“ _Oui_ , of course! Do you think I’m doing this on _porpouse?_ Keeping this secret from Holt and the others?… Well I think is true what they say: _vous récoltez ce que vous semez._ _You reap what you sow."_ she then explained.

  
Jerry gave an empathic glance to the woman “You _care_ for my family don’t you?” he then formed a small smile on his face.

  
“Absolutely! The circus and your family mean a _lot_ to me, they gave me love that I hadn’t had for a long time.” Colette declared deeply “I love your grandchildren like they were my own, and I _love_ your—” she instantly stared at Jerry’s eyes and shut her mouth with her hands before she could mention the rider with complete embarassment. Her cheeks flushed and quikly wanted to correct herself.

  
“I-I mean I love Milly and Joe like my own, a-and I _like_ your son like a good _amie_ , a friend.” Colette coughed, but she didn’t fool Jerry at all as soon as she saw glee on his teasing smile. _He has the same smile as Holt_. she thought huffing.

  
Jerry made a sideway smile and seeing the french woman blushing, he knew what was happening inthat woman’s mind. “You also _specially_ care ‘bout _my son”._

  
“ _Oui_ … if he finds out about this secret, _he’ll never_ want to see me again, talk to me again, he will be heartbroken.” Colette seriously said, although she still felt like a fool in part because she wanted to erase what she almost said to the elder.

  
“You _love_ him.” Jerry responded sure.

  
Colette was certain that after hearing Jerry’s commentary, she felt the floor tremble. _“Quoi?!!!”_ her mouth started to feel a little dry.

  
“My son, you love him,” Mr Farrier replied calmly “but…not as a _friend_. C’mon Miss, you can confess it to me, I _know_ when a woman is in love. I can see it in your eyes Miss Marchant. I promise I won’t tell. From here it won’t come out a word, trust me.” he winked at the aerialist giving her confidence.

  
The french woman never truly confessed her real feelings to somone she didn’t knew well, _specially_ love, still this was Holt’s father, showing and giving confidence with an honest look. Just like his son…

  
Colette took a deep breath and spilled out all what she was keeping inside about the one-armed man “ _Oui_ , yes!! I’m in love with Holt! I’m in love with the _damn_ cowboy! He’s so stoic and stubborn but _mon dieu,_ I can’t stop thinking about him!! Every day I came here to work I wait to meet him, to see him, to feel his presence! _Je l'aime de tout mon coeur,_ is the truth… if it deppended on me, I would grab that man, take him with me to wherever we want to go, and never, _ever_ let him go.!!! she panted after she finished.

  
Jerry felt shocked and moved by the same time by Colette’s love declaration. He saw how red her face was after what she confessed and both laughed a bit because of it.

  
“You have a good heart Miss Marchant, you made a bad mistake in my opinion, but you don’t mean any harm at all. And the way you spoke of your love…it reminded me about on how I fell in love with my Dorothy.” Jerry lovingly sighed, resting a hand on his chest.

  
“Dorothy?” Colette asked.

  
“My wife,” Jerry said with melancoly “but she sadly passed away…”

  
“Oh! I’m _so_ sorry. When?” the aerialist felt bad for the elder.

  
Jerry took a deep breath “When Holt was born.”

  
“At chilbirth?!”

  
Mr Farrier nodded and stopped talking for a while. His wife’s death…was the _worst_ expierence of his life, until this day it was hard for him to talk about her. It wasn’t hard just for him, it was also hard for Holt when he was a child. Growing up without a mother since the day you were born…. is harsh. Holt never had aunts or grandmas, he never had a motherly figure in his life, so he was completely unaware of what having a mom was. And for Jerry it was something he didn’t know how to replace for his boy. He had to be both mom and dad for Holt but…what does Jerry know about being a mom? That’s what he thought years ago.

  
“She was…a _great_ woman, Dory, that’s how I called her, she was…the best of the best. I’ve _never_ loved anyone more than my wife. The day I first layed my eyes on her” Jerry gulped, not wanting to show his tears “we where like 18 or 19 years old on a party, a dance, and she was on the other side of the hall, then she walked towrds me, _me!_ Someone simple who wasn’t the most handsome or the most intelligent lad…just a simple cowboy who works hard everyday” a tear slid from Jerry’s cheek, making Colette feel sad too “she asked me to…dance with her and… well the rest is history." he quikly wipped away his tear.

  
Colette and Jerry felt very sensitive after sharing so many personal things, they kept quiet for a minute and the night finally arrived. The old Farrier put his hat back on his head and heavely sighed. “Well, I think I should go now” he sniffed “I think my son will arrive very soon.”

  
“Don’t you want to wait for him here, _monsieur?”_ Colette suggested.

  
“No, no, no thank you, I’ll wait for him at his home. I think there is the best place to talk” Jerry assured Colette.

  
 _“Trés bien,_ I´ll see you later then.” the french woman smiled.

  
“Yeah” suddenly Jerry took one of Colette’s hands and squeezed it “Remember what I told you this morning Miss: _**strength**_ ” he tenderly smiled.

  
She returned the smile and winked at Mr Farrier “I will try”.

  
“Good, so, good night Miss Marchant” Jerry tipped his hat, turned around and walked away. While Colette stood there waiting for Holt who after 7 minutes later Jerry left, he arrived on the tent with a white horse.


	4. The Talk

The night had invaded Dreamland and all the electric lights shone around the area. Holt was heading to his appartment from the right side while Jerry was heading from the left side, when the two man reached the entrance of the building, both Farriers met face to face. They stood frozen fos a couple of seconds but soon after Holt spoke.

  
“Oh, hi pop” Holt put his hand on his pocket.

  
“Hi, lad” Jeremiah replied.

  
The two cowboys stood silent again akwardly, looking around trying not to make visual contact with the other, nonetheless, they knew they had to talk sooner or later. So Holt and Jerry spoke at the same time: “I wanted to—” both gentleman stopped after saying the same in unism. Jerry coughed and talked again.

  
“You first lad” Mr Farrier allowed his son.

  
Holt took a deep breath through his nose “I think we both have to talk pops, we owe eachother that. I don’t want to you to go from Dreamland without…making the passes.” Holt said.

  
Jerry gave his son a small grin “Me neither, lad. I want to be alright with you again too. We get in the house, then?”

  
Holt thought for a moment and an idea crossed his mind “No, my kids are already in there. no, I think is better to be completely alone.”

  
“And where do you suggest to have our conversation then, lad?”

  
“Dreamland’s private pool” Holt suggested.

  
“Where? A pool?” Jerry questioned.

  
“Mr Vandevere has a private indoors pool over there” Holt pointed out the impresario's gym from afar “he said we can go whenever we want, is a good place, is private and I can arrange with Mr Sotheby, Vandevere’s butler, to prepare the place just for us.”

  
Jerry twiched his moustache at the mention of Vandevere’s name, he didn’t want to accept _anything_ from that pervert, but this was something his son was offering, so he responded. “Ok… we’ll go there if that’s what you want. Where’s that Sotheby guy?”

  
“I’ll contact him from my appartment’s phone, while if you want, you can wait here.”

  
“Hhmm, alright, but first one question: Does this park sell beers in bottles?” Jerry rised a teasing eyebrow.

  
Holt made a puzzled look “Uhhmm, I guess, there’s a bar here, you can ask. But why?”

  
Jerry came closer to Holt and added “What do you mean with ‘Why?’. What is a father and son talk without beer?” the old man smiled cheerfully “C’mon, just like the ol’ times!” he patted his son’s shoulder. Holt smiled back at his dad and answered. 

  
“Ok dad, but it better be cold” the Stallion Star teased his father.

  
Mr Farrier laughed and went to the bar to get some cold beers on the bar nearby. Whilst Holt went to his house to pick up the telephone and called Mr Sotheby to arrange the pool for a few hours. Mr Sotheby accepted and both man hunged up their phones.

  
Minutes later, the Farriers met on the private gym entrance when Sotheby opened the door for them, leading the two gentlemen to the private pool. As soon as they reached their destination Holt noticed that the only turned on light in the zone was the pool’s. The whole blue aurora invaded the room with the windows showing the stars of the night.

  
“Can I suggest to turn on the lights, Mr Farrier?” Sotheby politely asked to Holt.

  
But Holt responded, “No thanks Mr Sotheby, I think the pool’s light is enough.”

  
“Yeah, it looks very pretty, leave it like that Mr Sotheby” Jerry agreed with his son.

  
“Alright then, may I make you something to drink from the bar?” Sotheby offered.

  
“No, thanks again Mr, we already brought a little somethin’ “ Jerry hunged up the beer box he had behind his back. “Yeah, it may not be one of those fine drinks you made for the rich people, but the Farrier’s beer is _sacred!”_ he joked.

  
Mr Sotheby smiled at the senior and nodded to the men “If you need anything, please just let me know”.

  
“We will, thank you Mr Sotheby” Holt said to the butler.

  
“Gentlemen” and with that, Sotheby left the cowboys alone on the pool.

  
“C’mon, let’s sit over there” Holt pointed out two lounge chairs behind Jerry. Both Farriers sat on a chair each one, in front of the water. While Jerry rested on the floor the box, grabbing two bottles of beer. He gave one to his son and the other for himself. Mr Farrier father had on his pocket a bottle opener which he used to open his own beer but then he looked at his son.

  
“Do you want me to open it for ya, lad?” Jerry gently asked.

  
Even though Holt didn’t want to show his dad he couldn’t open a simple bottle because of his missing arm, he was a bit surprised that his father hadn’t told him ‘you can do it lad, is not that hard’ or something like that. Jerry was fully aware that his son has a limit somehow and he was offering to help him.

  
“Yes, thank you dad. I _could_ do it but—” Jerry interrupted Holt.

  
“Oh give me that, don’t be so proud boy.” the Farrier senior took both bottles and opened in a blink of an eye. Then he returned the drink to his son.

  
The old cowboy helded up his beer and spoke “Cheers lad, for a new beggining and etc, etc, etc.” Jerry joked rising one of his bushy eyebrows.

  
“Cheers, pops” Holt and his father clinked their bottles, took big sips from them and sighed afterwords.

  
“Hhmm, yep, they’re cold” Holt looked at his bottle.

  
“Is not like the ones from Kentucky, but hey is somethin’, they weren’t cheap, boy” Jerry looked at Holt smacking his lips.

  
“You could’ve told me and I payed for them” Holt protested.

  
“Nah. It was _my_ idea so I payed for them. You should know it lad, I don’t accept money for _anyone_ idly” Jerry scowled, making Holt roll his eyes.

  
“Yeah I forgot that… but anyway, let’s go to the point, ok?” Holt glanced at his father who was sitting on Holt’s right.

  
Jerry inhaled through his nose “Ok, then I shall start”.

  
Holt left his beer on the floor and waited for his dad to speak.

  
“The…thing is…whow can I say this?…uhhhmm. Sometimes, people say things they don’t really mean, although they _wanted_ to say them ‘cause those things are true, but not with that intention, well sometimes they _do_ have the… intention.” Jerry was getting lost with his words, he didn’t know what the hell to say to his son, he tried to apologize and no apologize at the same time. It didn’t make any sense! Jerry’s forhead started to show sweat and his mouth continued to mumble. “But y-you have to know i-is nothing personal what I’ve said…no matter how angry I was with ya. I-I-I’m still am… a little mad at ya b-but not so much, you should too. You’ve s-said to me awful things too, lad. How-however…uhhmm it’s done! Now we’re here and it’s done. There, I said it” Jerry sighed nervous, expecting that at least some of the things he said were enough apology for Holt.

  
However, Holt rised an eyebrow and his mouth hung open in complete confusion for everything that his father said. So he responded: “That was the _worst_ apology I ever heard, poppa” Holt took a huge sip from his beer and looked away.

  
Indignant, Jerry responded “Oh yeah? You can do it _better?_ C’mon! I want to hear you now!”

  
“Alright!” Holt exclaimed “I didn’t mean what I said to you, pops, but…” soon after, Holt started to get lost with his own words as well “ …well, uhhmmm, I mean, I did _mean_ …things. But not with that intensity…althogh you sometimes make me mad ‘cause you’re…you’re…well not a pain, but, b-b-but” Holt was suddenly interrupted by a slow clap. He turned to his right and saw it was his father. Slowly clapping with his eyes half colsed, a rised eyebrow and an expression that Holt could only describe as: _‘really?’“._

  
“Oh my God…I thought I made a good job with ya, lad” Jerry turned his head to stare directly at the water and drink his beer.

  
Holt sighed with his head hunging down. “Why? Why it is _so_ difficult for us to talk about our proplems dad?”

  
Jerry turned his head left to see his boy “Because lad… men weren’t born to talk about ‘men problems’ ”. Jerry exhaled.

  
“So…what do we do then?” Holt asked uncertain.

  
“Easy: ” Jerry patted Holt’s back with his left hand “we patted eachothers backs and we drink alcohol until we can no longer.” and he drank a big sip from his bottle with his other hand.

  
“That’s what we’re doing now, dad” Holt responded a bit puzzled.

  
Jerry’s eyes widened and smiled “I can be a great psychologist, jaja!!!” he laughed.

  
Holt joined his father laughing but then he wanted to talk again “Why it seems so easy for women to talk about _this_ stuff? How do _they_ do it?”

  
“ ‘Cause women’s brains are like… multiple option tests, for example. They have more than one answer, they can choose and think about those answers at the same time, do things at the same time. Why do you think some women work at that cable thingy place to connect phones, huh? Because they can contact more than one person in different parts of the city with those cables at the speed of light! We, men, we _can’t_ do that! We are narrow-minded, we’re straight forward with just one thing, we can do just _one_ thing at a time” Jerry confessed.

  
“So… what you’re saying is that women are smarter than us?” Holt wanted to get his father’s point.

  
“Absolutely, this is how God made us. Women are geniuses compared to us” Jerry sipped his beer again.

  
“We should _tell_ them, the women?” Holt rised his brows.

  
“No! That’s men’s _most_ sacred secret. Don’t you _dare_ say this to any female, alright lad?” Jerry warned.

  
Holt giggled and nodded at his dad while looking at the water. All of the sudden he breathed calmly and started to talk again “I’m sorry dad, I’m _really_ sorry…”

  
Jerry gave all his atention to his son. “I’m sorry for yelling at you, sayin’ those terrible things to you; I mean…I felt a lot of pressure around you when you arrived here.” Holt said.

  
 _“Pressure?_ What do you mean, son?” The Farrier senior questioned.

  
“I mean that… when I was a kid you’ve always criticized everything I do. You’ve been very strict to me… but I know that you did that to protect me”.

  
“Of course I did, I’m sorry if you felt that way—” Jerry tried to speak.

  
“Wait dad, let me finish ‘cause I need to say this.” Holt inhaled deeply “I’ve missed you, so much, there were times that I needed your guidence, I’m not gonna lie. The thing is… the reason why I haven’t wrote you for years I think is because I… wanted to show you I could handle what I been through…alone. That I didn’t need your arguments or critics, the only thing I wanted was independance from you, that’s it.” Holt’s throat began to get tighter and his eyes wet.

  
Jerry noticed Holt’s expression and his own eyes started to feel watery too.

  
“But of course, I was an _idiot_ … I decided to shut you out of my life. Not on purpose! I’ve _never_ meant to... is just…is just…”

  
“You weren’t thinking well, lad” Jerry’s voice was empathic.

  
Holt tried so hard to not to tear up in front of Jerry, but when he turned his head to see him in the eyes, it was too late “I wasn’t thinking well, you’re right…” Holt sniffed “I’m your _biggest_ dissapointment, poppa…when you came here, I unburden myself with you….so horribly and…” and then, Holt sobbed “I wanted to spill out all of my feelings but… I ended up hurting you…you don’t deserve it, after everything you’ve done for me…I-I’m s-s-sorry…” Holt covered his face with his only hand, his shoulders shaking and sobs coming out of his body.

  
This sight hurted Jerry like a knife, even worse than the fight they have got hours ago. So he rested his left hand on his son’s right shoulder, his voice sounded like somone broke it “You, are _not_ a dissapointment, you are my biggest proud and joy, lad. You are the reason why I’m breathing till now! You and your children. If I’ve criticized you, or judge you, I’m so sorry. I really wish…to be more comprehensive” Jerry’s voice craked a bit “I think… ,this is going to sound weird, but-but I think I was jealous of ya” he sniffed loudly.

  
Holt stared directly at Jerry “Jealous? O-of me?” he said sobbing.

  
“Because…when I was a kid…I didn’t have opportunities like you had. I-I _had_ dreams ya know? But I was a poor cowboy, so… I couldn’t make them come true” Jerry sniffed again, “Everytime I saw you as a child, I saw myself… I saw what I could’ve been. You must think is awful that a father has jealousy of his own boy, huh? You were right, Holt, I’m a cargo!” Jerry sobbed covering his face with his hands.

  
“No, no dad, that’s _not_ true! What I said—”

  
“What you said, lad, _was_ the truth! I am a damn cargo for you… for everyone!” Jerry clunched his fists on his eyes, he hated to cry with his son looking at him.

  
“You,” Holt grabbed Jerry’s face to see him eye to eye “are the most thoughtful, responsable, caring and honest father in the world. It seemed that you haven’t show it all the time but you did, you did showed me that you loved me. Practically…you’ve made me what I am today, I would’ve been lost without you as a child. I’m thankful…for everything,” Holt cried once more “Will you _forgive_ me, dad..?” his voice craked, crying like a little boy.

  
Jerry cupped his son’s face and responded, “Of course I forgive you… I’m still your father and I love you… _my son_ … I love you!” Jerry cried.

  
“I love you too poppa.” with that, father and son cried and embraced eachother so tight that they stood like that for like it seemed, an eternity.

  
Jerry caressed Holt’s head backside, while Holt rested his cheek on his father’s shoulder. This reminded Mr Farrier father those days when his son was a boy, everytime he get hurt, both phisically or emotionally. Although Jerry always said to Holt get over his sadness and act like a man, he knew that wasn’t the answer then, now or never. He regretted not being more sensitive for him when he needed to be.

  
As soon as Holt moved away gently from his dad, he looked directly at him, smiled and said “Clean those tears pop, they won’t help you at all” he smirked after repeating what his dad always told him when he cried. 

  
That made Jerry smirk too and both gentleman dryed their tears, then they turned around and stared at the pool finishing the last of their first beers to open new ones.

  
“You think _she_ would be proud of me?” Holt asked looking at the blue light of the chlorinated water.

  
“Who, lad?” Jerry exclaimed confused.

  
Holt glanced over his father, “My mom”.

  
Jerry took a deep breath “Yep, yes, I’m sure she would”

  
“She was a good woman, right?”

  
“She was Holt, she loved you very much” suddenly Jerry started to laugh a little.

  
“What? What’s so funny dad?” Holt asked.

  
“I’m pretty sure, if she was still alive, she would’ve killed me, or killed _you_ after finding out you went to the war. She was _so_ paranoic when I went to The Civil War!” Jerry laughed sipping his second beer.

  
“Well yeah” Holt joined his father giggling “I’ve lost an arm, imagine what would’ve _she_ reacted”.

  
“C’mon, you know there are _worst_ body parts you could’ve lost.” Jerry gave Holt a teasing glance, knowing that his son would understand.

  
Holt rised one of his bushy eyebrows and slowly made a big grin “You mean… my _Johnson?”_

  
Suddenly, both Farriers bursted into an uncontrolable laughter so loud that their own echos filled the place. When was the last time they had a good laugh like this one?.

  
“You know me _well_ lad, jajajaja!!!” Jerry laughed in glee.

  
“Yep, I guess I do” Holt sipped his second beer, still giggling.

  
“But going back to the point, your mother loved you, unconditionally, as any mother loves her child. She and Annie would be so damn proud of ya” Jerry clinked his bottle with Holt’s.

  
“You think so, poppa?” Holt asked unsure after hearing the mention of Annie’s name. Then, the rider commented “Ya know what, dad? Maybe that’s why I thought Annie was better parent than I am.”

“Why?”

  
“Because I didn’t had my mom with me…I never knew how a mother works or what do they do. Which is why… I was so unaware of Annie’s skills as a mother, that I always thought she was more comprehensive with Milly and Joe than I was”. Holt gloomily stared at the pool’s shining water.

  
“She, Annie, was a great woman and I _don’t_ doubt she was an amazing mom too. But _you're_ also an amazing dad, Holt. Even…better than _me”._

  
“Really?” Holt’s head lifted a little bit.

  
“I’m _sure_ , lad. Both woman loved you and they know, from Heaven, you’re giving your best.” Jerry comforted his son patting him on the back. Holt smiled tenderly at his father.

  
Then, Jerry made another teasing look at Holt, “And, speaking of _love_ …what’s up with you and the french woman, huh?”.

  
Holt’s cheeks instantly burned red _“What?!_ Colette? _No!_ We are just working partners, just friends!” he defended himself.

  
“Just _friends_ , huh? C’mon! Be honest with me, I’m your father, you can talk to me.” he exclaimed “You want to fuck her too, don’t ya?” Jerry said with naughtiness.

  
“What the—?!! _Shhhhh!!!_ What are you saying, dad!!! Shut up!!! Don’t say those things out loud!!!!” Holt gave an accusing look to Jerry.

  
“Oohhhh!! How embarassing!” Jerry sarcastically responded with an overdramatized tone, raising his hands like he was about to being shoot. “I’m so sorry, Mr Privacy!” Jerry joked.

  
“Stop it dad, please!” Holt warned with his blush still on his face.

  
Jerry sighed a smirk and talked again “Where did this innocence came from? C’mon lad, _‘fuck‘_ , things by their name: ” Jerry pointed out his beer with his finger, “ _this_ is a bottle of beer and _you_ are going to hump an european girl”.

  
“What are you saying?!!!” Holt protested. "And don't say those things about Colette, she's a lady and I respect her!"

  
“Oh, I’m sorry, I expressed myself wrongly. Since she’s french, I should’ve said: you’re going to ‘put your baguette in her basket’ ”. Jerry smiled and loudly giggled.

  
Holt gave an unamusing look at his dad, frowning “Not funny poppa, stop it. I mean it”.

  
Jerry grinned at his son’s shameful expression, “I saw you, son. I saw the way you looked at her, talked to her in person, I saw sparks between you two. She obviously has a thing for you, lad. I know it, ‘cause I talked to her”.

  
“You what?! You talked to her about…. _me?”_ Holt asked nervous.

  
“Let’s just say we talked about how are you and your kids feeling in this park, how you two work together with a flying elephant, etc.” Jerry lied, but again, he obviously he couldn’t tell the real truth, “But the most important thing here lad, is that she’s a woman who cares for you”, that last statement was true.

  
“Yeah, she does, I guess. Colette is…a good woman, for a moment I thougth she was an spoiled french girl. However she’s kind, smart, telented, wonderful… beautiful, with perfect lips–” Holt soon realised with who was talking to and turned his head to see his dad’s unamused expression.

  
“Don’t judge me, pops” Holt replied insecure. “And… just because I said those things from her, it doesn’t mean she is a saint! She’s also stuborn, headstrong, she competes in everything I do and she drives me nuts sometimes!”

  
Jerry’s eyes widened “Wow…it reminds me of _somone_ who I used to change his diapers”.

  
Holt frowned again and rolled his eyes “Please dad, don’t mock me.”

  
“I won’t.” Jeremiah Farrier hugged his son with his left arm “You’re in love, lad. Please, don’t waste it.”

  
“What do you mean?”

  
Jerry glanced serious at Holt’s eyes “I’ve been a widow for almost **40 years** , don’t make the same mistake.” he pointedly declared. Suddenly, he raised his beer and exclaimed “Let’s make another toast Holt. For the second chances in love!”.

  
Holt smiled at Jerry and helded up his own bottle,”For the second chances, dad”.

Both cowboys clinked their bottles loudly and gulped the cold golden liquids. Father and son continued to stare at the only light of the place they where, the water, while they were laughing and remembering more happy stories from the past. 

  
Jerry didn’t want to drink too much that night, he wanted to stay sobber for tomorrow morning since the next day it will be Sunday. Every Sunday morning Jerry goes to church but after he does that, he’ll have a serious conversation with _someone else._

\------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, Sunday morning, the Farriers were having breakfast at their appartment at 10 o’clock. Jerry woke up earlier at dawn because, as he planned, he went to church. He didn’t want to wake up his family too early so he decided to go alone and return for breakfast.

  
While the Farrier family were eating, Jerry was told about what happened at Dumbo's last show and how bad it went. The next show which Milly is prepearing has to be excelent. Holt told his dad that the only person they needed to impress was the banker J.G. Remington, who will finance Dreamland as long as Dumbo meets his expectetions. Jerry took all this information at his favor, because after breakfast he was going to talk to the boss: _VA Vandevere._ Jerry had Milly sitting in front of him with a look of concern, the tension between grandfather and granddaughter was extreme after Jerry discovered her secret, but for their family's sake, they kept appaerances.

  
Joe was super excited to spend the whole day with his grandpa and show him the park. Jerry was excited too to reconnect with his son and get to know his grandchildren more, however, he admited he needed to go somewhere else first, with the excuse to get familiar with the park in order to not to get lost again. With that, Holt was a little suspicious but Jerry assured him he’ll be back at 11 o´clock at least.

  
As soon as the Farriers finished breakfast, Jerry left the apartment and headed to the Power Tower. He was wearing a dark-blue shirt, a black old vest, blue jeans, brown boots and his brown hat. He reached his destination and bumped into Mr Sotheby. Jerry asked the butler if he could see Vandevere as soon as possible, which Sotheby responded:

  
“I’ll call him and say you’re here, Mr Farrier.” Sotheby affirmed.

  
“Do it please, Mr Sotheby. Is… _urgent_.” Jerry exhaled.

  
Five minutes later Mr Sotheby appeared again and called Jerry to get into the elevator, “Mr VA Vandevere will gladly speak to you, sir.”

  
Jerry nodded and entered into the elevator. He pushed the highest buttom of the wall and the elevator lifted him quikly. When the metal cabin reached the top of the tower, the doors opened only to show VA finishing the last remains of his own breakfast on his desk while he was reading the paper, like always. Jerry wanted with all his being to kick the shit out of the impresario for what he did to Milly, but again, he needed his head cold, if he does something stupid he’ll be screwed.

  
The noise of the elevator’s doors opening called VA’s attention and the tycoon smiled at the sight of Jerry who was just getting out of the cabin. “Jerry! Sotheby told me you wanted a word with me, come on come here, don’t be shy!” Vandevere beamed at the _only_ Farrier man he seemingly found tolerable.

  
“Excuse me,” Jerry slowly entered “may I have a chair to sit down?”.

  
“Oh! Of course, where are my manners?! Sotheby, get this gentleman that chair over there!” Vandevere gave his best grin ponting out with his hand at his butler.

  
When Sotheby left the chair to Jerry, the old cowboy sat down on it at the other side of the desk, in front of VA, sighing.

  
“Would you like something to eat, to drink, Jerry?” VA asked folding his newspaper.

  
“No thanks, I’ve already had breakfast with my family. Can I speak to you…in private?”.

  
“Oh, alright” VA did not know what Jerry wanted, but he’ll soon find out “Sotheby, take this and leave us alone with our friend, Jerry.”

  
Sotheby took the silver tray with left outs and VA’s paper under his arm. Then he opened the elevator and left the tycoon and the cowboy alone.

  
“Well, Jerry! What do you want to talk about? Our upcoming show with our miracle elephant? Our magnificent attractions? Or maybe just my park in general?”.

  
“ _You_.” Jerry seriously responded.

  
Vandevere raised an eyebrow “What?.”

  
“I want to talk about you, sir.”

  
“About _me?_ Well my goodness, I wasn’t expecting that. What things about me you want to talk about? I’ll answer _depending_ on what you will ask.” VA leaned back on his chair and intertwined his hands.

  
“Oh, but you will, sir. You _will_ answer” Jerry stated dryly.

  
VA frowned, he was becoming more confused by the cowboy’s intentions, he just couldn’t put his finger on it but still, he letted the elder to continue.

  
“Look sir, I was walkin’ around this place, this park of yours, and I’ve heard lots of things about ya. ‘The King of Coney Island’, ‘Emperor of Entertainment’, etc. That means that you sir, must be a man of respect and _principles_. Am I right?”

  
Vandevere looked at the senior with curiosity “Uhmm, yes…? Yes I am.”

  
“A man that gives the good example.” Jerry made a gesture with his hand, ponting at VA “The standard bearer of truth!” Jerry kept pointing at the impresario.

  
VA didn’t know where this complements came from and why the old cowboy was saying them. But VA wasn’t gonna lie, he was enjoying Jerry’s nice words, he felt genuienly flattered. VA tried not to look obvious at enjoying Jerry’s polite words, so he could only smile and reply, “Well, yes, that’s very kind of you for saying this—”

  
“So, what happened?” Jerry abruptally interrupted him.

  
“Excuse me…?” Vandevere responded bemused, raising one of his silver eyebrows again.

  
“What the _hell_ happened?” Jerry kept staring like a wolf at the impresario.

  
Vandevere blinked reincorporating himself from his chair and rested his elbows on his desk “What are you talking about Jerry—” he was cutted off again.

  
“Don’t call me Jerry, Mr!” the old Farrier barked pointing VA with his forefinger and burning eyes, “Only my family and _friends_ calls me ‘Jerry’. And you and I sir, we _ain’t_ friends!”.

  
“Why not? I thought we were. Please tell me what’s wrong.” VA’s confusion and concern were getting bigger.

  
Jerry copied VA’s posture, resting his own elbows on the desk and whispered into his face: “I _know_ it, sir.” he lowly growled.

  
“You know… _’what’?”_ the tycoon asked murmuring as well.

  
Then, Jerry whispered again “You and Milly have a relationship… _an affair!”._

  
VA was completely taken aback by Farrier senior’s statement and backed up a little. Never, _never_ in his life he was caught, he was a master of discretion with his flings and adventures. People already know about his appetite, his impulses, but Milly... _goddamit!_ She was everything he has ever dreamed and _more_ , she drove him mad, and make him think things that he never fanatasized. For obvious reasons, nobody had to know about him and his little scientist, her family, his reputation, were obstacles between them. And now…this man, her grandfather, he was barely two days at Dreamland and now knows his most profound secret, _How does he know, for fuck sakes?!!!_ VA thought desperate.

  
The tycoon couldn’t keep his eyes away from Jerry’s that were like sharp darts, he knew he couldn’t lie to him. Vandevere was an adult, he needed to face the truth like one, now that Jerry knows it.

  
VA took a deep breath, fixed his collar coughing a bit and proceeded “How did you know? _Who_ told you?”.

  
“No one told me. I saw it. I _saw_ you, you and my granddaughter… kissing and grining into eachother!”. Jerry’s nose flared.

  
VA gulped “I’m sorry you had to see that, Jerry—”

  
“ _Don’t_ call me Jerry!!! For you, I’m just Jeremiah or Mr Farrier, is that clear?!”

  
“Ok I’m sorry!! Look… I am sorry you had to see us like that Jer- I mean Mr Farrier! But please, try to understand!” Vandevere pleaded.

  
“Understand _what?!_ Milly told me everything, that you guys have a relationship that started a month ago! ” Jerry exclaimed indignant.

  
“Milly told you that?!”

  
“She did! She would never lie to her grandpa, I promised her that I won’t say anything about your secret, but you…you’re seducin’ her, usin’ her and manipulatin’ her–”

  
“I love her!” Vandevere admited out loud “I _love_ Milly, like you never imagine, I know the age gap is big between us but… she doesn’t care, I don’t care. We love eachother Mr Farrier, that’s the truth.” the impresario declared.

  
But Jerry could only frown his eyebrows and open his mouth _“Love?_ You call what you have with my granddaughter love? I think Mr Vandevere, you’re confusin’ love with lust.” he said enraged.

  
“At first… it _was_ lust, but then—”

  
Jerry harshly rose up from his chair and lifted his voice “And then what?! Your heart was changed? People like you _can’t_ love sir, you’re despicable, you’re a pervert, you're a scum…” Jerry insulted.

Vandevere knew he couldn’t control Jerry’s fury so he rolled his eyes. However, the cowboy’s yells were getting louder and louder making VA a little irritated.

“Ok, stop it! Stop it now!” the tycoon said, but Jerry didn’t stop until he spitted out his last insult.

  
“…you’re… a _rapist!”_ the Farrier senior snarled.

  
 _That_ … was the last straw for VA. No one, absolutely _no_ _one_ called him a rapist and he wasn’t going to allow it. He cluntched his jaw, his eyes showed red, he abruptally rose from his own chair and slammed his hands on his desk.

  
 ** _“SHUT_ _UP!”_ **Vandevere shouted with all his strength “Shut up, you _senile old man!!!”_. Thank goodness his office had thick walls to prevent the sound coming out from the inside.

  
Jerry’s eyes widened and he started to giggle sarcastically,“ **‘** Senile old man **’** , huh? Thanks for the compliment, they have called me worst things but—”

  
“Watch your mouth now!” Vandevere warned angryly.

  
“Me? Watch my mouth _me?!_ _You_ who says to my granddaughter: ‘Oh my little scientist, I want to be inside you, to feel your skin with mine and who knows what more’! And _you_ dare to say to _me_ to watch _my_ mouth?!”. Jerry responded disgusted after saying what the man in front of him said to Milly yesterday. “You called me senile and I call you _sugar daddy!”_ Jerry insulted again.

  
VA’s patince evaporated “You know what I should do at this moment?” he grunted with fire in his eyes “Forbid your entrance in Dreamland forever!”

  
“Oh yeah? Then you should be forbidden to keep talkin’. Shut your _fucking_ mouth!!”

  
VA circled his desk and stood in front Jerry panting with hate “How dare you to talk to me like that!!!”.

  
Jerry lifted his chin “I _dare!!_ I dare, and you know why? ‘Cause I’m way much _older_ than you!! So you _owe_ me respect! I’m 75 years old! At this stage of my life I’m not gonna to swallow threats from anyone, includin’ you!.” Mr Farrier affirmed “I’m not afraid of you!”.

  
Both veterans exhaled frustration and hatred, they paused for a couple of seconds. Vandevere leaned back on his desk, sitting on it whiping his mouth. Whilst Jerry walked around the place and grabbed a cigarette, lighted it up and started to smoke. Thing that VA hated.

  
“No one smokes in my office.” VA sternly said.

  
Jerry walked towards him inhaling his cigarette “Make me.” and he exhaled smoke on Vandevere’s face making him to close his eyes in disgust and purse his nose. “Go ahead Emperor of Entertainment, make me to stop, and I’ll go to say to everyone everything I know.”

  
Vandevere grimced “Then go, go tell the whole world what you know! But is my word against yours, I could say that what you’ve said about me were just alusinations from a senile old man.”

  
But Jerry was unfrightened by VA’s threat “I don’t need the _whole world_ to believe me, just _some_ people…like my son Holt” he inhaled once more his cigarette.

  
“Ah Holt…your _idiot_ son Holt” Vandevere sneered.

  
“Don’t you dare!!!” Jerry yelled as he took his cigarette away from his mouth and put his face centimeters from VA’s “Don’t you dare speak badly of my son, ‘cause my son is my guardian angel!”

  
Vandevere laughed cynically “Hahahaha! Your guardian angel? What, he’s a saint now?”

  
“For me, he _is_. Everyone’s children are saints for their father’s eyes.”

  
“ _Not_ _all_ children…” Vandevere said with bitterness.

  
“Yeah, I should’ve known _you’ll_ say that.” Jerry smoked again. “I’ve been talkin’ with my family ya know? They told me about Dumbo’s first show and how important is the next one for ya, ‘cause that banker, Remington, he is the one who has to be pleased and if Dumbo succeeds, the park will earn more money from Remington, right?”

  
Vandevere rised an eyebrow “Wow, you really did your research Mr Farrier.” he mocked at the anciant cowboy.

  
“Yeah I have. But I also discovered another thing. When I had lunch yesterday with the circus troupe, the told me that they don’t have shows to do here, in fact, they don’t do anything at all.” Jerry’s voice grew concerned “So I’m staring to think the next thing: if the only thing you need is Dumbo, and once Dumbo becomes a star…what will happen to the Medici Circus then?”.

  
“You _really_ want to know, Mr Farrier?” Vandevere gave a tired expression at the cowboy “Now that we are being honest, I’ll spill it out for you, ok?” VA took a step forward and faced the older man. “For me, that circus gang is a burden, an _annoyence_. Do you really think I’ll keep those peasants in my park because I think they’re special? No, they are not! The only person who I think is special in that circus is _Milly_. She is the _only_ person I ever cared for in my entire life! She and Dumbo’s talent are the only things that matter for me!” Vandevere hissed.

  
Jerry was appaled by Vandevere’s words, his moustache twiched and his anger just grew and grew. “What will you do…when Dumbo succeeds? You’ll fire the Medici Circus, including my son and my grandson? While you keep the baby elephant and my poor granddaughter here?” Jerry’s voice trembled a little.

  
VA put his hands on his pockets, sighed giving a devilish smile and responded “Of course”.

  
The Farrier senior gulped and sweat ran through his back. _My God...What kind of man is this?_

  
“Please, spare me your shock! Do you think your failed son will have a show at this point?”

  
“Do _not_ call my son a _failed!”_

  
“He’s a **_failed_** , yes.” Vandevere insulted “That cowboy you raised does not suspect anything of me and Milly because he’s way too far to be the smartest person in the world. His stupid head only serves to ride horses and now is not useful for it anymore because he has lost an arm. He’s a cripple _and_ failed.” he cynically smiled.

  
“Stop it now!!” Jerry yelled “You’re going to kick out my son and my grandson to the street? All because of a whim?!”

  
“Oh come on! I’m making this park a favor! Your son lost an arm, he is useless, get over with it! And your grandson…well… he’s an idiot just like his father, his only talent is excisting! But that’s not special, right?” VA responded with venom.

  
Jerry took all the composture he had to avoid to punch this bastard’s face, “My goodness…you don’t feel anything? You’re souless. You know what you should do if you had a _little_ of decency? Feel pity. In case if you don’t know it, my family is going through a very difficult time and you are going to make it into something worse. My grandchildren lost their mother, leaving Joe and Milly fragile and you just took advantage of her pain, you took advantage of a young girl that was lost and confused!” Jerry panted with deseperation. “My son suffers too, since he was a boy he suffered, he grew up without a mom, my wife Dorothy died at childbirth! Do you know _how_ hard it was for Holt not to have met her?! Now, like me, he’s a widower, he lost his beloved wife, but also he lost an arm, he lost his horses, his dreams for ridin’ in the ring are smashed—”

  
“Are you done with your cheap drama?” VA sighed interrupting Jerry.

  
 _“Cheap drama?”_ Jerry responded confused.

  
“Yeah, I do not need to hear the story of your failures or your son’s failures. Also don’t bother to talk about your dead wife either, you know why?” Vandevere went closer to Jerry’s face and responded smiling wickedly “Because I don’t care.”

  
Jerry regurtitated and spitted on Vandevere’s face a huge ball of saliva. The cowboy’s blood boiled like hell while he watched the tycoon backing off because of received spittle.  
Vandevere took his handkerchief to clean his face and looked at Jerry with genuine despise. “Get the _hell_ out of my tower...now!” he hissed the last word.

  
“With all my _pleasure_ ” Jerry smoked the last of his cigarette, he threw it on the floor and stepped on it “Tell your butler to clean that up.” Jerry said with tiredness. He turned around and went to the elevator, pushed the buttom and waited for it to open its doors.

  
When the metal cabin finally reached the top again, the doors opened and Jerry entered. But before the doors closed, he holded them and said to the impresario “Don’t worry Mr Vandevere, I won’t say anythin’…” he let go of the doors and finished his sentence “…for now”. The elevator’s doors closed and Jerry started to descend.

  
VA growled like he never had before. He went to his desk, formed a fist with his hand and hit it, making every thing that was on there to jump. Vandevre passed his hands throgh his hair, breathing sharply, not knowing what to do. Now, he has _two_ enemies to worry about. _You’re going to pay for this you senile asshole. Oh yes, you’re going to pay, you and your stupid son too!!!!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And RT Fice (RT_Fice) ...this is all I got. I like the ending here, I think is pretty fitting. Of course you can imagine how this could go later, is free for your interpretation;) I had so much fun writing this Villy fic with my OC and I hope you liked it!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it RT Fice (RT_Fice)! I've decided to devided in chapters, I've changed my mind ;)


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